The Fallen Angel: Part 1
by RioloverBardenBellaforlife
Summary: Nine months after the events of their anniversary, Blu and Jewel fear how long this peaceful calm will last. Both Kipo and an old friend of Rafael return to town, shaking things up even more. When the hammer drops at last, not everyone will survive. One of our birds will suffer the most, in ways no one should ever have to. Will our heroes triumph? Or will Angel's evil plot reign?
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Notes:**

**Welcome back everybody to Arc 3 in my series: The Realest Heroes of Rio. I'm so excited to delve into this part and I hope that you all enjoy this next story! Before I begin, I just want to thank everyone who has read and reviewed so far. As always, don't be afraid to leave your thoughts on the chapters and how I may be able to improve. I take everyone's suggestions and concerns seriously. Every little thing can help me work toward putting out the best material I possibly can. I would like to extend special thanks to Kraft58 and Ricardo the Black Hawk for their friendship and support since the very first chapter. I could not have gotten this far in my storyteling without the wonderful mentors you guys have been to me. Without further ado, let's make sure we've quadrated our vector angles, adjusted for wind shear, remembered positive reinforcement, and get ready to soar! **

**Chapter 1: Every Hero Needs A Vacation**

The sun hung high in the bright blue skies above Rio de Janeiro. Its warm, yellow light shone all across the landscape of the city, bringing life to the abundance of life that lived both in the buildings and in the jungle nearby. In the downtown district, humans bustled to and from their daily jobs. Cars and trucks of all shapes and sizes crowded the streets, causing irritation for anyone trying to get to where they needed to be on time. On the white sands of Copacabana Beach, not a speck of land didn't contain an umbrella. The summer season now in full swing, tourists from all different nations wanted to take advantage of the gorgeous weather in Brazil more than ever.

These visitors to one of the city's most standout attractions didn't limit to just people, however. Now and then, animals such as stray cats and mischieveous monkeys stopped by to either dig for food in the waste bins, or attempt to scoop up some valuables left unattended by humans. More uncommon, though, besides the typical seagulls one would find at the coast, were species of birds.

Understandably so, these birds did not like to be so close to the humans that came to have a good time. People meant screaming kids that wanted to touch the "pretty bird with all different colors." It meant having sand kicked in your face by teenagers that ran across the beach, trying to catch a frisbee that their friend threw into the air. Getting hit by a massive volleyball that got served back and forth above nets set up along the grounds; however, proved to be the event birds feared the most.

One male Spix's macaw didn't contain too many qualities that could be deemed similar to other birds, though. In fact, being in such a packed, manmade place made him feel right at home.

Blu held out his wing, opened flat, and shook a small bottle above it with his other wing. When the thick substance inside could be felt closer to the cap of the container, Blu gave it a hard squeeze right in the middle. Creamy, white sunscreen came squirting out in just the amount Blu intended. He beamed, proud that after so many years of watching Linda perform this very action, he'd learned how to master it.

Blu turned to his right and glanced at his wife, while he rubbed a little bit of the protective lotion on the surface of his beak. Despite Jewel's protests that a "beak burn" was not a real thing, Blu insisted that he needed to ensure his complexion got around the clock protection at the beach. Jewel laid down next to Blu on a hump of sand, her wings spread out as far as they would go. He scooched over in the opposite direction a tiny bit so that Jewel's wingtips could no longer make contact with his side and tickle him.

On the crook of her beak, Jewel wore a pair of pink-rimmed sunglasses that belonged to the human who used to own Blu as a pet, Linda. During one of their past trips to the abode she lived in with Tulio and their adopted son, Fernando, Linda learned that the Spix's macaw family had gotten into the habit of going to the beach at least once a month.

To this day, Jewel couldn't wrap her head around Blu's ability to communicate with Linda via writing. She'd only ever seen people be able to master such a difficult skill. Yet, the last time they stopped by and Linda asked them what they'd been up to, Blu pulled out his little yellow notepad Tulio kept for Blu in his office and began scribbling away with a pencil. In no time, Linda discovered their plans and went to fetch them spare supplies that she and her new family used when vacationing at the shore.

The Spix's macaws were more than glad to accept the items. After all, Jewel started to object to going to the beach because she hated the sun being in her eyes for such a prolonged period of time. Now, apart from the occasional group of people gawking at a macaw wearing shades, Jewel could relax and enjoy herself.

Still, she couldn't fathom a bird knowing how to write or do half the crazy things Blu taught himself. Jewel shook her head, thinking to herself as she flipped her body over to warm her back. _I swear that he's really some kind of scientist who got turned into a bird after an experiment gone wrong._

Noticing that Jewel changed her position and assuming too soon that something might be wrong, as always, Blu arched a concerned brow. "Everything alright, honey? You didn't get a sunburn on your chest did you?"

Jewel rolled her eyes, even though she knew Blu couldn't see that due to the tinted lenses, and stayed flat on her stomach. "I'm fine, Blu. There's no need to do your favorite thing in the whole wide world."

Blu shifted his gaze from side to side, eyeing a toddler who waddled past the birds with a red pail in one hand and a yellow shovel in the other. The child's eyes, as blue as the ocean, lit up when she saw the two birds laying on the dunes just like her mother and father. She dropped the toys in her hands and pointed an eager finger at Blu and Jewel. "Birdies!" she shouted.

Lucky for Blu, whose heart rate increased tenfold at the high-pitched shriek, the noise also grabbed the attention of the girl's parents. Her mother heaved her up in her arms and shook a disapproving finger at her daughter. She told the confused child that you should never touch wild birds because they might carry disease. Blu huffed as the two females returned to their beach blanket, offended at the insinuation he and Jewel were unclean. He returned his glance to his mate and addressed her at last. "Some nerve that woman has. To think that we might not take care of ourselves! I'm the most paranoid bird alive when it comes to germs. Anyway, what's my favorite thing in the world?"

Jewel sat up and started to laugh at Blu, further increasing his bewilderment. She lifted her sunglasses on top of her head for a moment, so she could wipe a tear from her eye. "Freaking out, which you literally just did not two seconds ago over a little kid. How have you not had a heart attack yet?"

Not too fond of being accused of overreacting all the time, Blu's cheeks became flushed, both from embarrassment and anger. "Hey, I do not always freak out over the tiniest things! I'll have you know that I had a legitimate reason just now to be scared." Blu gestured to the location where the girl stood moments ago. "What if that brat came over and started trying to pull out our feathers? Or, she could have used that fake shovel she held to hit us."

Jewel held up her wings in surrender. "Alright Blu, I get it. However, I was saying that more in relation to when you asked if my chest got burnt. How many times do I have to tell you that we don't get sunburns like people do? Our kind is out in the jungle, flying all day long in search of food." She touched her beak so Blu would look down at his own, covered with the now hardened sunblock. The white in contrast to his almost black beak made him look awful silly. "You don't have to wipe that oily garbage all over your face."

Blu sighed, not wanting to argue with Jewel when they were supposed to be having fun. He shrugged his shoulders and Jewel smiled, knowing what his response would be before he even opened his beak. Though she often acted as the more stubborn of the two, Blu proved to be a considerable rival sometimes. "Whether or not I am in danger, I like doing it regardless." A shy smile came upon Blu's face. "It reminds me of being a chick with Linda and going to the beaches along the Great Lakes in the summer. You could only go away during a select few months before the giant blizzards rolled around again."

Jewel let the lower portion of her beak stick out in contemplation. Now that Blu said this, she felt bad about teasing him so much. She never would have guessed that he might be putting on that gunk for sentimental value. She stroked his back to comfort him, hoping her naughtiness hadn't put too much of a damper on his mood. "I'm sorry I poked fun, Blu." She picked up the little squeeze bottle of Coppertone Sport and studied it for a second. Disinterested, she placed it back down in the sand grains between them. "We all do something different to remember our loved ones who we don't see much anymore or at all."

A sad look came over Jewel's face as she thought about the flower that she used to wear every day to remember her mother. The stunning pink bloom now lay locked away in a crevice in Linda's closet along with Kipo's watch, the last thing he had to recall his time with his father. Jewel struggled not to let a tear fall from her eye. It would only give Blu further cause to worry, and she didn't want him to do so. "I used to love putting the flower that Javier came after in my feathers. It connected my mother to me after he took her away."

The concern for his mate returned to Blu's eyes as he noticed that she looked ready to cry. Sure enough, only a few seconds later, the waterfall of salty liquid burst forth from Jewel. Blu crawled over on his wings, so he could be close enough to Jewel to embrace her. He knew from experience that Jewel preferred he didn't ask what bothered her until she finished sobbing. So, he just sat there, letting her use his shoulder as a towel and tissue all in one. He rubbed her back and slowed his breath delibratelty in hopes that this would help Jewel calm down too.

It took a couple minutes, but eventually Jewel began to sniffle and then stop making noises altogether. Blu figured it okay now to release his wife, so she could look at him and explain what troubled her, though, he already had a pretty good idea. He stroked the feathers by her face and smiled. "Hey, I know your miss your mom very much Jewel. I wouldn't have hidden those things if I didn't think we needed to. However, Javier's boss is still out there. You saw the warning he left us at Ana's funeral. That evil falcon could show up any day now and turn our whole world upside down. It's for the safety of everyone in Brazil that we don't go near that flower or the watch."

Jewel shook her head and wiped at her now damp feathers by her beak. She crossed her wings over her chest and groaned. Blu moved a wing closer to his mouth in case he needed to stifle a laugh. He couldn't help it; when Jewel acted like her usual stubborn self, it made him happy. Her no-nonsense, straightforward personality attracted Blu to Jewel just like the opposite ends of a magnet. There's just something about birds that are hard to get that makes the challenge all the more exciting. "Are you sure we're not in the clear, Blu? I mean, don't you think if Angel wanted to hurt us like he said he did, he would have made a move by now? That letter he left us said that we'd have six carefree months to do as we wished without having to worry about him. However, it's been nine already. Maybe he realized that with half his manpower eliminated, there'd be no practical way to accomplish his goals and he gave up? I don't think he's stupid by any stretch. The guy has to know when his villainous scheme just becomes a suicide mission for himself."

Blu fell into a kind of stupor as he mulled over what Jewel said. Sure, some of her words held weight to them. Angel clearly knew when to start or back out of a plan. After all, he decided when he should switch gears by sending Ana to infliltrate their group of friends to obtain one of the items, versus having Javier use his raw strength to get the job done. On the other wing, though, Blu couldn't leave out the fact that Angel had some kind of obsession with taking over the city of Rio and bringing all the creatures within its boundaries to their knees. No way would he end that fantasy just because one or two of his workers died. After all, the words he wrote to Blu revealed that Javier would have been murdered by the falcon's own wings had Blu and Jewel not done the dirty work for him.

He shook his head, causing Jewel to open her beak a little, shocked that he disagreed with her argument. She thought she'd made one he couldn't refuse. "I'm sorry Jewel, but I think you're just trying to cling to hope that our troubles will all just disappear. I want to be free of having to watch our backs all the time for Angel and any more of his cronies too, but the falcon's greed has consumed him so much that it's highly unlikely that any shred of a noble soul still exists. The only thing Angel cares about right now is furthering his own power. He doesn't care how long he takes to make his first move as long as in the end he comes out of the battle zone, raising his wings in triumph. We need to stay on our guard for the time he returns to the city, because mark my words, we haven't seen the last of him yet."

Jewel sighed, her reluctance could not be mistaken but nonetheless, she nodded her head. As it happened often, Blu's superior intellect and skills of reasoning debunked her position. When would she learn not to question his judgment? Never once did the male Spix's macaw steer her wrong in the past. "Okay Blu, I'll listen to you." She bumped her waist against his, elicting a chuckle from her husband, which in turn made her smile. "I cross my heart that I will never whine about not being able to touch that special flower again."

Blu arched an eyebrow. Though he didn't want to start another verbal battle with Jewel, he also wanted to make sure she understood the monumentally high stakes of their situation. "It's better to part ways with it than live the rest of your life working for some malicious warlord as his miserable slave. That is, if you're even lucky to survive his inevitable first wave of executions."

Now, Jewel found herself puzzled. She stammered for a few seconds before speaking, trying to make sense of what Blu told her. "I'm not sure I get it. Why do you think that if Angel gets in power, which we won't let happen anyway, he's going to start his new reign by killing tons of creatures? The less that exist in the jungle, the less pleasure he'll get after anointing himself as the bird in charge. How do you know that he would do that if he suceeded in what he aims to do?"

The male macaw shrugged his shoulders. "Well, he would be missing a great opportunity to make a powerful statement that the creatures under his regime wouldn't soon forget. Seeing so many innocent birds and other animals meet their doom is Angel's way of ensuring that his suspects who live are discouraged frrom doing anything to rebel against their phony ruler."

Jewel stuck the lower portion of her beak out, giving what Blu said some thought now. She had to admit to herself that she often enjoyed these little debates she and Blu got involved in sometimes. She figured that discussing pros and cons about events that affected both of their lives turned out to be more than healthy. She nodded and continued to talk to her mate. "I suppose I can't argue with that. We just have to make sure he can't get the things he needs. The city has to stay safe for our children to grow up and thrive in."

Suddenly, a lightbulb clicked on deep in Jewel's brain, and she began swiveling her head from side to side, looking for something she now recognized as lost. Her heart began to beat faster and her eyes fill with terrible anxiety as she turned to Blu and asked him a question. "Can you still see the kids?" She appeared waxy and so pale that any normal student would think she came down with a nasty illness.

Blu's eyes widened and he wasted no time before beginning to scan the area of beach which surrounded them. No matter where he looked; however, little blue blobs of feathers did not pop up. Just as Blu's fears skyrocketed to limits once thought to be impossible, he turned his head to the left as a peal of laughter reached his ear. As far from the ranges of vision of both of their parents as they could be without getting yelled at by both birds, played Blu and Jewel's four chicks on the sand. Right now, practically Tiago's entire body couldn't be seen. Carla used the seemingly endless grains to bury her little brother until he found himself up to his chin. Bia sat just a few inches away from her siblings, reading a short story that she brought with her on the family trip. There wasn't a place on Earth or activity that could be offered to Bia that would make her stop whatever she'd been reading and just have fun. In the little girl's defense; however, she didn't look strange for bringing literature to the shore. All around her, human women flipped through pages of books of various genres while they exposed their backs to the intense equatorial heat, hoping to achieve a perfect tan before fall rolled around once more.

The male cupped his wings over his beak to increse the volume of his yell, before he screamed for their four kids to come over to them. Their chicks turned their heads toward their father and sprinted over at once. Tiago leapt out of the hole he'd been buried in and shook the dust off his feathers. "That feels much better," he said. Blu smiled at how obedient his kids all were, coming to them the first time he called. Jewel grinned as well, pleased with how great their children grew over the last two years.

When all four birds reached their parents, Alicia, who'd been doodling in the sand with a small stick she'd found, looked up at her father with big, questioning eyes. "Daddy, we're not going home yet are we?"

"Yeah," Carla chimed in. She gestured toward her little brother who stood to her left. A huge smile lay on his face, thrilled at having been the center of attention moments ago. "I didn't finish putting Tiago six feet underground yet."

Bia also peered up toward her mom and dad, her beak trembling the tiniest bit while she clutched her book in her wings. "I just got to one of the best parts in the story. If I have to stop to go home, you'll mess up my flow. I'll have to immerse my mind in the fantastical universe all over again. You guys don't understand how much time that takes."

Blu laughed at his children's concerns and winked at Bia in particular. "Oh honey, you're forgetting that I grew up in a bookstore. I understand more than you think what it feels like to be interrupted when you reach an especially entertaining part of a tale." Then, he looked at his four chicks as a group and spoke to them. "Well, I just wanted to make sure that you all were still near us." He turned his head from left to right to survey the region around their occupied space on the beach. "This place is really busy and the worst thing that could happen is that you all get lost. However, it's getting a little late in the afternoon, and the Blu Bird Sanctuary is on the entire opposite side of the city. Flying home usually takes between thirty and forty minutes. We might need to get going pretty soon."

Loud whining ensued once Blu finished what he wanted to say. Cries of protests followed from the four Spix's macaw children. "I don't want to go home!" Tiago screamed. "I won't leave this beach until I am buried so deep in the sand I can't even see the Sun anymore!"

Jewel held up her wings to issue for silence from the kids. It took a couple seconds which only increased her disappointment in them. She glared at the four in a way that made them get quiet immediately. Bia and Alicia hung their heads in shame, not as used to being reprimanded as their older siblings. Carla tended to get yelled at for her sometimes disrespectful mouth, and Tiago for his reckless behavior. The other two usually stayed out of trouble, preferring to do things that kept them quiet and out of everyone's way.

"You know, when you all first walked over, Blu and I had been proud of the excellent way you listened on the first try. Now; however, you just shot that to pieces." She pointed at her husband who nodded his head, showing that he approved of the way Jewel dealt with the kids. "When your dad says that we need to go, you don't make an embarrassing show about it. You're lucky that we got to spend any time here at all. Rafael and Eva never go anywhere with their kids. We do so much more stuff with you four than other parents in our neighborhood do." Jewel nodded her head in the direction where their children played before Blu decided to check on them. Tell Spix's macaw chicks followed her gaze. "Therefore, after fifteen more minutes of fun, you all will leave this beach with us without so much as a peep. Am I understood? I hope so, because of not, there will be no TV tonight, and in Carla's case, music."

Carla almost sighed in response to being singled out but caught herself just in the nick of time. No reason to make the situation worse. The four birds nodded their heads to display that they agreed with Jewel's terms and trudged back to their former location. Jewel placed her wings on her hips and turned towards her mate, who smiled at her with pride. She arched an eyebrow and said in her usual playful voice: "Impressed, huh?"

Blu chuckled and stepped forward towards Jewel. When their beaks almost touched, he leaned down and planted a kiss on her. After he pulled away, Blu looked into Jewel's shining blue eyes and winked at her. "Very, your parents must have really laid down the law in your nest. I'll bet you were quite the naughty bird back in the day." Jewel punched Blu in the side, pretending to be insulted by what he'd said, and then laughed when Blu let out a little yelp of pain. He rubbed the impact spot, hoping that it wouldn't leave a mark. "You know, you shouldn't slug someone when you're a professional fighter."

Jewel just shrugged her shoulders, not feeling remorseful in the least. "I suppose so, but you should be glad I possess such skill. It's going to come in handy when the crap starts hitting the fan."

Blu realized Jewel still didn't feel safe about their current standing in the battle with Angel and his evil. He would be lying to himself if he said he didn't feel like he'd been walking on eggshells since the night of Ana's and Javier's death but they couldn't bring themselves to worry. They needed to keep their heads on straight, so they wouldn't get caught by surprise. "Jewel, I know you're a little scare; I am too. We'll know when something is up if we just keep our eyes peeled. There hasn't been any trace of any suspicious activity in the jungle. The moment there is, like I said before, we'll gather everyone together and fight back. Kipo should be coming home soon from his trip as well, so that means more manpower. We'll be fine, trust me. In the meantime, enjoy your last fifteen minutes of glorious coastal sunshine and ocean breeze."

Jewel smiled and nodded her head, feeling a little silly for being nervous, though, she knew she had reason to be. She placed her sunglasses back over her eyes at last. "You're right, Blu. We only get one life to live on this Earth, and I'm not letting this Angel ruin any more of mine." Jewel laid down on her back and slid her wings underneath her head for maximum comfort. "From now on, it's just sun, sand, sea, and fun."

Blu leaned back into a more lazy position and curled his wing into a fist for Jewel to bump. "That's the spirit, honey." Both birds sighed as they listened to the cawing of seagulls overhead and the cheerful cries of their children playing in the sand. As the humans took a vacation from their daily lives around them, Blu and Jewel took great pleasure in the little time they had left before the war for control of Rio resumed, more intense than ever before.


	2. 2 A Tense Reunion, To Put It Mildly

**Chapter 2: A Tense Reunion, To Put It Mildly**

A half hour later Blu and Jewel once again called for their children to return to them. This time; however, the Spix's macaw family gathered all of their belongings and followed Blu into the air. The mid-afternoon sunlight continued to beat down on the residents of Rio as they walked along the sidewalk just outside of the public beaches. Blu looked down at all the activity going on beneath him and felt a pang of nostalgia as he flapped his wings.

The sands of Copacabana Beach ran parallel to one of the city's main roadways. This particular street was packed with traffic almost around the clock, excluding the wee hours of the morning where normal people wouldn't be caught dead awake. Now, watching the numerous cars and trucks honk their horns and yell in a fruitless attempt to make the vehicles in front of them move faster, Blu remebered being stuck in a jam identical to this one while in Tulio's pickup truck with Linda. His first day in Rio, Blu headed to the aviary that day to meet his future wife. He turned his head to his right to look at her without her knowledge of him doing so. Blu smiled, pleased that even though their lives weren't completely perfect at the moment, they still had each other. If the rest of the world came crashing down, but Jewel remained alive and well by his side, Blu knew he could handle anything that came his way.

Jewel's keen instincts must have alerted her to the fact that a pair of eyes watched her because she moved her eyes a little to the left and then did a double take. She arched her eyebrow and formed a teasing smile at Blu, when he jerked his head forward again as if he hadn't been staring moments ago. "What's the matter? Do I have grains of sand in places a bird should never get them?"

Blu went red in the face, knowing Jewel well enough to detect the distinct sarcasm in her voice. He just felt happy; however, that the emotion he sensed wasn't anger. "No, honey, you look perfect." Blu looked down at the ground below them once more. This time, his eyes were met by the many tall buildings of Rio's main shopping district. The samba club owned by Nico and Pedro also operated in this vicinity. The cardinal told Blu one time that the location was excellent because this part of town proved to be very busy. Therefore, business days did not disappoint often. "I was just thinking about the first time I got driven through this area with Linda and Tulio. We were on our way to meet you, or more specifically I guess, I was."

Jewel felt her cheeks heat up too, and she averted her gaze away from Blu. She couldn't believe that just flying home made him think of her too. It seemed that Blu's entire world revolved around her. No one else she knew even came that close to such devotion. "I'm sorry I didn't exactly give you a warm welcome that day. I hope I've made up for it since then."

Blu nodded his head and swerved a little more to his right so that he would be closer to Jewel. "Oh of course, Jewel. I don't even think about the few bumps in the road we hit when we first met each other. Since then, we've fallen head over heels in love. I don't blame you for being skeptical when I first arrived in the artificial jungle. You didn't know who you were meeting. Those self-defense skills could have very well come in handy." A shy smile crept upon Blu's beaak, the one that always used to plague him during his first days of getting to know Jewel. "Plus, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't scared to meet you too."

Jewel grinned at her husband. She would have kissed him but doing so wouldn't be very easy considering they needed to keep moving their wings to stay airborne. "Well, I hope that the reason you felt nervous was because you were meeting a girl that day and not due to the fact that the doctors told you I was a lunatic."

Blu let out an uneasy laugh and felt grateful that the two were flying somewhere at the moment, so he didn't need to find something to do with his wings in the awkward moment. "Maybe that was about 60% of the problem."

Jewel rolled her eyes and shook her head. However, her smile didn't fade for even a second. She knew that she used to act way too tough and standoffish, but she only did that because animals in the jungle didn't mess around. Weak creatures became dinner for the stronger ones, so Jewel needed to show that she wasn't a bird to be trifled with. Since meeting Blu, her personality undertook a massive overhaul. Jewel bet that if an old acquaintance of hers from her hunter days saw her now, they wouldn't believe her to be the same bird.

Just before she could continue her conversation with Blu, planning to point these facts out to defend her hardened exterior back in the day, a shout hit her ears from one of their chicks. Jewel paused in midair but continued to hover in place. Blu arched a confused eyebrow, unsure why Jewel decided to stop all of a sudden but followed her example anyway and stopped flying. Jewel figured that Carla tried to get her attention. For one thing, Carla didn't have her earbuds in, something that Jewel almost never saw, and the other three chicks stared at her, wondering what the reason behind her spontaneous outburst could be. "What's wrong, sweetie?"

Carla pointed to the left and turned her gaze in the direction of her wingtip as well. The rest of her family looked to where Carla wanted them to, but shifted their heads back to her once more, not sure what she wanted them to see. Tiago flapped his wings next to his older sister and made an annoyed expression with his eyes. He let out an impatient groan and started to speak. "Carla, do you need glasses or something? There's nothing there but sky and more sky."

The eldest Spix's macaw child ignored her brother's taunts and rolled her eyes. However, she noticed that none of her other family members understood either, so she motioned for them to follow her with a wing. As Carla started to lead the way, Tiago flew right next to Bia and whispered in her ear, careful not to knock into the book Bia carried in her talons. "I think our sis' is going crazy," he said, making a "cuckoo" motion next to his head with one of his wings.

Carla looked over her shoulder as she kept flying and narrowed her eyes at Tiago. "I heard that!"

Her younger brother froze in his tracks for a second and formed and turned as red as a scarlet macaw, feeling guilty at having been caught in the act. Jewel turned her head in several different directions, trying to figure out where they were being taken. Her eyes widened when she tilted her head downward and recognized the tops of one of the structures underneath them. Carla paused over the familiar alleyway where the family walked in many times before and gestured to the dusty ground below. An excited grin came upon her face. "It looks like someone's finally back from their trip around the world!"

Blu flew over to Carla and followed her guidance until he saw a large, thin figure strolling up to the entrance to the samba club. When he squinted, recogniton lit up inside his brain as he deduced that the creature he saw was none other than the spoonbill that they hung out with and called one of their best friends. A wide smile broke out upon his face and his eyes lit up as he turned back to his family who awaited some clarification. "Everyone, guess what?! Kipo's back!" A loud gasp arose from the remaining four birds and happy faces arrived on their beaks as well. Blu shifted his gaze to Carla and patted her on the back, feeling very proud of his daughter. "Great job, Carla. You've got a really good eye. I'll tell you what, even if you saw him flying before he landed, we were a ways back when you noticed Kipo."

Carla beamed, enjoying every bit of the thunder her father gave her. She took a mini bow and then formed a smug smile on her face. "Thank you, Dad." Carla turned around to look at Tiago, whose beak hung open, dumbfounded. "Guess I don't need glasses after all." Tiago, not wanting his sister to get the last word, stuck his tongue out at Carla since he couldn't think of a proper comeback on such short notice. Carla didn't even respond, knowing she'd been victorious in their latest quarrel.

"Come on guys, what are we waiting for?" Blu peered down at the narrow walkway between the samba club and the neighboring building, taking note that Kipo must have already gone inside. The only bird down on the dirt surface now was the harpy eagle that determined who could go into the club and who got turned away at the door. "Let's go say hi and welcome Kipo back to the city!"

A uniform cheer rang out from the rest of Blu's family in agreement with what he proposed. The six Spix's macaws then changed their flight path to the ground in front of the samba club, their past plans to return home in time for dinner long forgotten.

#

The crowd of Spix's macaws stepped inside the darkened hallway that led from the doorway to the building down to the room where all the action occurred. The harpy eagle had been delighted to see his favorite family once again and allowed them access with no trouble at all. Alicia trembled as she crept inch by inch through the eerie corridor. When she looked to her right, she saw a tower of boxes that in the poor lighted area appeared to be a giant monster. She let out a little squeal and ran over to huddle under one of her mother's wings. Jewel stopped walking for a second and scooped up her daughter in her wings, her eyes full of reassurance and concern. She stroked the chick's feathery crown and whispered into her ear. "There's no need to worry baby girl, they're just cardboard." Jewel turned to Blu and began to speak to him, a critical tone in her voice. "You'd think that Pedro and Nico would spring for a lightbulb or two in this part of their place. It's scary as all hell in here, especially late at night when most birds come to party."

Blu nodded his head, frowing at the passageway they all stood in at the moment. His heart beat a little faster than it did on a typical day, and he very much wanted to walk onto the dance floor which would be lit up with various colored beams. "Yeah, maybe if we see them in there, we can mention it to them. Because right now, I don't even feel safe in here."

As the group of birds crossed the threshold into the main zone, they became hit full force with the thudding bass of the dance music that played through mammoth speakers near the designated floor for grooving. Blu and Jewel turned their heads all around to take in the entire scene. They found that as always, the club was packed to the gills with animals wanting to have a good time. Birds ground against each other on the dance floor, while others took up most of the seats at the bar. Blu took a mental note that Kipo did not stand behind the countertop where he used to work. In his place, a dark blue bodied Amazonian kingfisher tossed a metal shaker around in his wings and then poured its contents into a glass that sat in front of one of the bar patrons.

Jewel tapped Blu on the shoulder, breaking him out of one of his observations. "I don't see him anywhere!" She shouted to be heard over the very loud rhythm that reverberated all throughout the club's interior. Jewel didn't come to this place for a while, and she wondered if the music had always been turned up this high. "It's so busy here; we might never find him!"

Blu nodded his head, but continued to look around. Kipo had to be here somewhere. He couldn't just walk inside the building and then disappear into thin air. This time, he tilted his neck upward and swiveled it until his eyes landed on the balcony where Pedro and Nico spun the records that created the fun for their clients. A satisfied smile came upon his beak as he realized that the cardinal and canary didn't stand up there by themselves today. The tall, unmistakable body of Kipo could be seen up above as well, his mouth open and chattering away. Blu bet when they flew up there to join thei friends, they would find the spoonbill right in the middle of one of the tales of his journey. He couldn't wait to hear all about Kipo's expedition across South America, in particular because he would never have the guts to embark on such a thing himself.

He cupped his wings over his beak to make sure that when he yelled, his family would be able to hear him over the background noise. "I found him!" Blu pointed up to the DJ booth on the second floor of the club. "He's up there talking to Nico and Pedro! Let's go upstairs to meet them!"

The Spix's macaws all nodded their heads and lept into the air once more, flying in the direction of their three buddies. As they approached the edge of the hardwood and straw enclosure, Blu's smile grew even bigger as he recognized a fourth familiar face inside it. The male toucan named Rafael stood next to Kipo, hidden behind the wooden wall due to his short stature. Blu and the rest of his family landed on the scratchy rim of the booth, a few stray pieces of hay falling down to the partying birds below. Their arrival didn't go unnoticed by their pals. Seconds after their talons touched solid ground, Rafael's eyes jerked up at the newcomers and he let out an elated gasp. "Hey lovebirds! It's so good to see you two and the little ones again!"

Rafael lept up to embrace Blu in a tight squeeze, thrilled over getting to see his best friend again. Surprisingly, Blu didn't get caught too off guard the way he usually did when the toucan went to hug him. _I guess I'm used to the way he almost chokes me to death each time by now. _When Rafael let Blu go, he continued to hold his huge smile on his face. He looked over Blu's shoulder at the rest of the birds who stood behind him. "So, tell me. How have you all been? What are you all doing here?"

Pedro flew over from the blue and yellow rubber step stool that he used to reach the buttons and knobs that controlled the club's sound system. He gave Carla a fist pump which she returned with an excitred giggle. "I hope you say that you came to see us, dawg."

Nico turned a knob among the extensive array of controls that would make the tracklist they chose for the day switch right to the next song when the previous one finished. This way, he and Pedro could talk with their friends and not have to worry about any dead air and unhappy customers. When he could be sure that none of this would happen, he joined his best cardinal buddy on the other side of Carla. "That better be your answer, Blu. We haven't seen y'all in a hot minute and it's about time you paid the hippest birds in Rio a visit."

Blu nodded his head and bent down to give each of the small birds a high five. "Oh yes, we stopped by to catch up with all of you. However, we showed up especially to see how this one over here was doing." He turned his head to the spoonbill who looked down to the ground and blushed a deep red, embarrassed at being the center of attention. Blu held out a wing for Kipo to shake and hoped that the expression in his eyes reflected interest and also the slightest bit of pity for the spoonbill. Though nine months went by since his girlfriend got murdered, that time period wasn't very long. Often, it took years for one to get over the death of a close family member or friend, perhaps longer for someone you were in a relationship with. Blu knew that if he ever lost Jewel, he wouldn't ever recover from that devastating blow. He smiled at Kipo, letting him know that this was a safe zone and if he didn't want to say anything, he didn't really have to. "How have you been, Kipo?"

Kipo smiled and walked over to return Blu's show of friendship. He shrugged his shoulders, the sadness in his eyes evident despite his happy face. Anyone who knew the spoonbill more than in passing could figure out that the loss of Ana still haunted him. "I'm alright." He placed his wings on his hips and looked around at the rest of the club. "I guess I'm just not used to being back in town yet. It feels like I've been gone forever."

Jewel flew down to the floor consisting of logs tied together by vines she assumed Nico and Pedro found on the very edge of the city. She nodded her head, quite impressed with the level of craftsmanship it must have taken to construct the DJ setup. Jewel gave Kipo's leg a hug which made him laugh. He bent down to envelop the female Spix's macaw in a proper hold and smiled. When Jewel released the spoonbill, she gave him a friendly wink. "I know it's hard being back here after what happened, but we all missed you so much. You should have heard us when Carla saw you entering the samba club. We all screamed like the Carnaval parade came to town."

A tear came to Kipo's eye. He just felt so touched by the show of support from all his companions. Friends like these came so few and far between in the world, and he knew he was beyond lucky to find them. However, a piece of him still felt like it could never be filled. A depressed frown came over Kipo's bill and he reached for a glass on the far rim of the booth. The cup contained a small amount of caramel colored liquid and a few, half-melted ice cubes. Kipo tipped back the rest of the contents inside and cringed at the bitter taste of the alcohol. For a moment, he felt numb and the images of Ana's flawless dark blue and golden feathers vanished. He no longer saw her magnificent light gray eyes which put him in a trance each time her gaze met his. Kipo didn't think about the way she played with her feathers when she became nervous or her infectious smile. The blissful ignorance lasted only seconds, though, and he held his empty glass up to his eyes and sighed at it.

Kipo returned his attention to the female Spix's macaw who swallowed a nervous gulp at what she just saw the spoonbill too. She hoped beyond hope that during his time away from Rio he hadn't picked up a nasty habit to help him cope with Ana's death. Jewel could recognize without a shadow of a doubt the pain Kipo felt inside. She too knew those emotions for years after she became separated from her parents and childhood home. Suppressing the sorrow wasn't the answer, and she learned that lesson harder than ever. Talking to someone like her husband, Blu, was the only way she improved. Jewel reached out to touch Kipo's side once more. "Hey, do you want to talk about her for a little bit? We don't have anywhere to go today, so we have all day to hear about all the cool places you've checked out over the year. This is way more important."

The spoonbill smiled but shook his head. "I appreciate the offer Jewel, but I prefer not to think about the past. It's much too painful." He sighed and clapped his wings against his sides, noticing the worried looks on all his friends' faces. Their concern irritated him, but he tried his hardest not to show it. Sure, he knew that deep down they just wanted the best for him, but he didn't care for their pity. He certainly didn't want them to judge him. What he needed now was for them to leave him be and deal with losing Ana the way he wanted to.

Kipo studied the empty cup in his wings once more and then nodded, his mind made up on the next course of action he would take. "I could use another drink. Why don't we all go down to the bar and I'll tell you about my trip?" He plastered on the best fake smile he could, knowing that he wasn't fooling anybody. However, they could all shove it as far as he was concerned. "Does that sound good to everyone?"

Blu and Jewel's children sensed the tension among the adults in their prescense but failed to understand why everyone acted so weird. They just waited to hear from someone what they planned to do next. Both Spix's macaws, the toucan, the cardinal, and the canary all exchanged nervous glances with each other. They knew that staying up here would probably be the better idea, but Kipo just got back. The last thing they all wanted was to make him upset by getting all preachy on him. So, the group of birds nodded their heads, just hoping that the spoonbill controlled himself when they got back down to the first floor.

Kipo grinned and spread his wings, preparing to lift off. "Wonderful, I'll save us all some seats." Then, he jumped down from the enclosure's balcony and landed with a thud on the cement ground.

Blu looked over the edge for a moment and then turned to his friends when he knew Kipo would be out of earshot. "We've got to keep an eye on him. Grief makes people and animals do stupid things, and he isn't acting like himself. He seems way more depressed than I thought he would be, and that alcohol is just going to scramble his brain all the more." The group of birds nodded in unison and hurried down to meet Kipo at the bar, not wanting to leave him alone for too long.


	3. 3 Anybody Seen A Party Loving Toucan?

**Chapter 3: Anybody Seen A Party Loving Toucan?**

"Bro, get real, there is no way that you rode a llama in the Andes Mountains," Pedro said as he stirred the fruit smoothie that he ordered twenty minutes ago from the Amazonian Kingfisher he and Nico hired to cover Kipo's post while the spoonbill went away. "I mean, yes, I understand that they exist in those parts, but I'm finding it hard to believe one would let a giant bird saddle up on its back and take it wherever you wanted to go."

Kipo laughed and dismissed the cardinal's ideas with a wave of his massive wing. He took a second to sip the new drink he got moments ago, the color a piercing blue similar to the shade of Jewel's eyes. When the bartender first placed the beverage down on the polished oak wood surface of the bar, everyone whistled at the unique appearance of the liquid. Blu, in fact, did remark that it reminded him of his wife. Jewel said she would be flattered if it ended up tasting as good as it looked. Otherwise, she told Blu she might be offended at being compared to something spoonbill told Jewel back when all this occurred that the drink tasted very sweet, so in a way, the two were similar both inside and outside. Jewel rolled her eyes at the notion. She pointed out that she only acted friendly to those who earned that side of her personality. If that didn't happen, nobody got anything but bitterness.

Now, Kipo swirled the contents of his drink, getting distracted by the fascinating motion. He wouldn't admit it out loud but considering this numbered as the fifth thing he ordered that afternoon, his eyes were beginning to unfocus. Therefore, he tried to lock his mind onto performing one action, moving the artificial-colored syrup around in the glass.

Pedro, becoming impatient as only the cardinal could, leaned forward and snapped his wingtips like a human would a pair of fingers to regain the spoonbill's attention. Kipo jerked his head up and looked as if he Pedro didn't sit right next to him. He just kind of stared off into space, attempting to tune out the deafening music that shook his skull, giving him an awful migraine. Pedro waved his wing in front of Kipo's beak, his frustration shifting to worry for his friend. "Yo, buddy! Are you alright? Kipo?"

The room spun in front of Kipo, not a single object in his line of vision remained stationary. Barstools and the patrons that sat atop them tilted from right to left, making Kipo wonder how the birds didn't fall onto the concrete ground. The flashing multicolored lights pierced through his eyes, stabbing the blood vessels behind them like pointed laser beams. Between too much alcohol; the loud music; and the harsh, changing lights; Kipo could feel the half-digested materials inside his stomach start to churn and gurgle angrily. He bet if he held a mirror up to his face right this minute, he would look as green as the military macaw who haunted his dreams each night, Javier.

Rafael's eyes widened and he abandoned his papaya nectar to walk over to Kipo's stool. He placed a wing on the spoonbill's back to try to steady him and stroked it in a constant, repetitive motion. "Don't worry, amigo. You'll be fine; I think you just had a little too much." Rafael let out a chuckle, hoping that maybe Kipo could keep what he drank down if the toucan took his mind off of throwing up. "This reminds me of the time Eva and I celebrated our ten-year anniversary and I got sloshed at The Posh Parrot. Trust me, I looked way worse than you do right now."

Kipo's vision clouded over until he could see nothing but gray spots in front of his pupils. Then, his stomach gave one long, sickening lurch and Kipo knew there wouldn't be any stopping it now. He lept off the barstool as if the seat was made of lava and bolted to the bathroom, fighting the dizziness as best he could on his way. Rafael cringed and shook his head while he watched Kipo's figure disappear down the hallway on the right side of the samba club. "Ay-yi-yi," he breathed, sitting down at his former place once more. "I knew that would happen, those Bluphorias contain so much sugar they turn your stomach inside out and back again."

Jewel laughed and clinked her hot chocolate against the toucan's wing. She decided to give the dark brown, creamy confection a try at the suggestion of her husband. If Jewel could predict the future, she would have ordered one without the slightest bit of hesitation because it turned out to be dessert heaven. She'd never tasted anything so incredible before. It might have been the one thing that would make Jewel not mind being a human's pet for a day. However, just a day. "Sounds like you and the toilet know each other quite well, Mr. King of Carnaval."

Rafael held his wings up in defeat, his silly grin lighting up the room during the intermittent periods of darkness while the lights switched colors. "Oh yes, Senor Kohler is a good amigo of mine. He's been there with me during my first few times club-hopping in Sao Paulo, my bachelor party, and of course my ten-year anniversary party. I feel bad for whoever acted as the janitor on the days I had my little incidents."

Nico banged the gleaming surface of the bar with his glass, trying to keep to the beat of the electronic pulses of Zedd's "Clarity" which blared through the speakers at the moment. An annoyed frown crossed his facial features, confusing his friends. They never saw the canary anything but happy before. "Yeah, well guess what Rafi? You better not have one of your famous screwups in my place because guess who is in charge of bathroom duty?" He pointed to his chest to emphasize his point."That's right, yours truly. Pedro can't do it because, and I quote, the smell alone is enough to make him barf and then the mess is twice as bad."

"Hey!" Pedro whined. "It's mad nasty in there. I don't know how you don't faint when you walk in on some of that." He shivered, as if cleaning up after someone being sick equated to seeing a brutal murder in a horror movie. "Your beak must be broken."

Jewel could feel a sudden motion to her right and she slid her eyes over to the bird that sat next to her. She rolled her eyes at the sight of Blu covering his ears and squeezing his eyes shut so tight, it was a wonder he didn't leave wrinkles on his face. "Can we please talk about something else?!" he shouted. "I put up with a lot of topics you all discuss that unsettle my fragile insides, but this isn't something I can take without having a panic attack!" Everyone laughed at Blu's signature overreaction. He opened his eyes and glared at his friends, mad at them for finding his discomfort funny. "Oh sure, you all can make fun of me, but the second I say anything that's even a little bit rude, I get in trouble and have to apologize."

His wife wiped a joyful tear from her eye and wrapped Blu up in a hug, despite him remaining stiff and not returning the gesture. She planted an extended, passionate kiss on his cheek, earning whistles and catcalls from Pedro and Nico in response. Jewel; however, ignored the two and stared into the eyes of her mate, as chocolatey brown as the delightful substance in each of their mugs. She blushed, ashamed of herself for being unkind to Blu who always tried his hardest to keep her feelings in mind. "I'm sorry, Blu. It wasn't nice to laugh. We all have our own little pet peeves. For example, I don't like planes."

Rafael couldn't help but overhear this and arched a curious brow. "Really, how come?"

Jewel shrugged her shoulders. "Well, it's just that I believe that flying should be something unique to those who were destined by nature to have the ability. It's what makes birds stand out from other species of creatures, and I think that humans who already get to do so much more than us should at least let birds be in the air by themselves."

Rafael stuck out the lower half of his bill in contemplation. He nodded his head, thinking on the logic behind Jewel's argument. "Okay, okay, fair point."

Jewel smiled and turned around, feeling someone tap on her shoulder. The happy expression on her beak only widened when she recognized that she looked into Blu's eyes once more, his content smile having returned to his face. "Thank you, I do appreciate it when you admit that you're wrong."

His mate giggled and pulled Blu in for another loving kiss. When the two birds separated, Jewel looked down at the space between their two seats, unsure she could handle the intensity of his gaze. "It's not a problem. We all make mistakes and the worst thing you can do in a situation like that is not own up to them."

"Now that's some sage advice to carry with you throughout your life," said a new voice that broke into the private conversation of the group of friends. On the surface, one might interpret the tone used as friendly or witty. However, underneath the words could clearly be heard in a sarcastic, mocking way.

Jewel turned around to acknowledge the bird that interrupted her talk with Blu. She placed her wings on her hips but told herself to relax. After all, she'd gained nothing over the years by pushing creatures away. You never knew when one might be the perfect bird to help you. Before her stood a gray bellied, white necked hookbill. To anyone with no knowledge regarding Brazilian wildlife, this bird would be mistaken for a duck. It even possessed the same sleek, dark green head that a mallard would have. However, Jewel had been around the block a few times and seen her share of this male's species. "I would definitely say so. Who might you be?"

The hookbill bowed before the female, catching Jewel off guard. She wasn't used to any form of chivalry, especially when it came from strangers. "My name is Manolo, and I must say it is a pleasure to meet you." He placed one of his light gray wings under his chin, pretending to study Jewel with great effort. "You must be a, wow, a Spix's macaw."

He stuck two wingtips in his beak and made a high-pitched whistle that drew the rest of Jewel's friends' attention to the newcomer. Rafael's jaw dropped to the floor and he let out a huge gasp, his eyes about to pop out of their sockets. "This can't be. Manolo, is it really you?"

Manolo turned to face the toucan who spoke his name and his eyes became as wide as saucers too. He lifted a shaking wing up to Rafael's face and stuttered, tripping over his words due to the shock of seeing a face from years past. "Ra-Rafael? Rafael from the southside of Rio?"

Rafael nodded his head rapidly and leapt off the barstool to wrap his old friend in a huge hug. Manolo returned the gesture without waiting another second and squeezed the toucan harder than Rafael often did Blu. Pedro nudged his best canary friend, his brow crossed in confusion. He whispered in the little yellow bird's ear: "Who the heck is this dude? Rafi ain't never mentioned knowing any duck before."

Nico leaned in towards Pedro to answer him. "Yeah, since when are these two all buddy-buddy?" A thought came to Nico's head all of a sudden and his beak grew worried. The next time he spoke to Pedro, his voice grew way more urgent. "Do you think this guy is going to steal Rafi away from us?! We've been his friends for years but I know how these things work. I've seen it in all the movies. A happy trio and then someone swoops in and tears them apart! We can't let this happen!"

Pedro nodded his head, his jaw set in determination. He narrowed his eyes at the hookbill who right now, shook wings with Rafael and laughed at something the toucan said. "Yeah, we're gonna be keepin' an eye on him. If anything suspect starts happenin', I'm jumping all over him. There won't be any escaping the wrath of Pedro." The cardinal thrust out his wings, curled into fists, to show that he meant business.

Manolo wiped a tear from his eyes caused by all the laughter shared between the two and sighed. "Man, it's so good to see you again. What's it been? Damn, I think something like twenty years."

Rafael looked around at the birds who continued to boogie on the dancefloor, not wanting to stare Manolo in the eye. He feared that if he made eye contact with the bird for too long, he would begin to tear up over having missed him so much. "Yeah," he said, his voice cracking the slightest bit, "I think somewhere around there." Rafael slapped his wings against his sides and shook his head, frustrated over the fact that they lost so much time together. "Gosh amigo, why did you and your family have to move all the way to Mexico City? Was the city that is my heart and soul not good enough for you guys?"

Manolo chuckled, always able to appreciate the toucan's flair for the dramatic. "Certainly not Rafael. I think it must have slipped your mind that I would never have left if given the choice. My parents thought that the rainforest was just no place for a hookbill. They wanted to be in the mountains, not around all those crowded trees. Granted, there's less pools of water to swim in but I guess that didn't bother them."

Blu tapped on the hookbill's shoulder, causing Manolo to turn around and greet him with a friendly smile. The Spix's macaw, never having been any good at talking to new birds whether they be male or female, looked down at the ground and tapped his wingtips together, desperate for something to do with his wings. "Um, I just wanted to say hi and welcome back to Rio. My name is Blu. I know it's pretty lame, but I used to be owned by a really nice human as her pet and she gave me the name." Blu gestured to Jewel who continued to sit atop her barstool and gave the pair a wave. "You've already met my mate, Jewel, and those birds over there are our four children." The Spix's macaw chicks said "Hello" in unison and Manolo responded with a nod of his head. "Anyway, it's so cool to meet an old acquaintance of Rafael's. What are you doing back in town?"

Manolo snapped his wingtips and pointed at Blu. "I'm glad you asked. You see, my parents died about six months ago."

A collective gasp arose from all the birds present and Rafael quickly put a wing on his friend's shoulder as a show of support. His ecstatic grin drooped into a sorrowful frown. "I am so sorry mi amigo. I remember how devastated I was when my parents kicked the bucket. I can't tell you how happy I am that you chose to return here after such a loss to be surrounded by birds that could have your back."

The hookbill made a half smile with his beak and patted the toucan's wing. "Thank you. Yeah, uh, it got really lonely being up there all by myself. I never connected with anyone in Mexico City the way I did with the birds in Rio. I knew it was a longshot, but I thought if I could find some way to make the trip down here, maybe I could reunite with my old buddies." His smile widened into a full-fledged grin. "And wouldn't you believe it? My plans succeeded. I can't wait to start living here again. Somebody has got to show me around the city sometime; I need to know what's changed since I've been gone."

Rafael nodded his head. "Of course, there's one very important thing you missed. I got married to the most amazing bird in the world and had eighteen children!"

Manolo took a dramatic step backward, holding a wing to his chest as if the toucan almost gave him a heart attack. He took in a sharp breath of air and let it out, making a big "whoosh" sound. "Eighteen? My Lord, someone's got the magic touch! How have you not gone crazy with that many little ones running around all the time?"

Jewel decided to pipe up, a condescending smirk on her beak. "Oh honey, trust me, it's not him who has been driven nuts by those animals; it's his pals. Be glad that they haven't ripped out any of your precious feathers yet."

Rafael scoffed at Jewel and waved a wing at her to dismiss her pessimistic statement. "Jewel, you're exaggerating. I live with my babies all day long and while I will admit that they've given me gray feathers over the years, they really are angels when they get to know you." The toucan's face lit up at that moment, a great idea popping into his brain. "I know! That's exactly what you guys should all do! Come to my house tomorrow afternoon. We can have a nice lunch to welcome Manolo back to town and you will all see that my chicks can indeed behave."

Blu rolled his eyes but smiled at his good friend. "We'll see Rafi, but I'll accept your invitation for Manolo's sake. He should have nice birds to rally around him at this time. I know better than anyone what it's like to be in a new place, not knowing what to expect. Sure he may have lived here as a kid, but Rio might as well be a foreign country to him by this point."

Manolo grinned at the kind words Blu spoke to him. He opened his mouth to express his thanks to the Spix's macaw but got interrupted by the sound of a loud whoop coming from behind them. All the birds present in their little group turned their heads to see Kipo staggering over, a wing clutching his head. He sat down at the barstool to Rafael's left and groaned. "Oh my God, I have such a headache. Remind me to order some buffalo wings next time we celebrate my return home so I don't drink on an empty stomach."

The hookbill raised an eyebrow and walked over to greet the new arrival. He stuck out his wing for Kipo to shake and grinned at the bird. "What a small world, I just came back to town as well." Kipo turned his head to face the hookbill and accepted his wing. "My name is Manolo and I'm an old friend of Rafael's. I'm moving back to Rio, and I heard that he hangs out at this place so I wanted to drop by and see if I could find him. What's your name?"

Kipo gave the bird a smile that seemed friendly enough, but really, he didn't care to have to make small talk with this guy right now. Friend of Rafael's or not, Kipo could only manage to focus on how ill he felt right now, a feeling that he knew would only worsen when his hangover hit full force the next morning. "It's Kipo. I just got back today after going on a nine month long vacation to try to distract myself from the death of my girlfriend. She got struck down in cold blood by a power-hungry, psychotic military macaw who, as we speak, is rotting in his grave."

An uncomfortable silence settled among the group, nobody quite sure how to respond to such a depressing announcement. Manolo nodded his head, the lower half of his beak protruding as he processed this new information. "I am terribly sorry to hear that. My parents died just a few months ago as well. In fact, that's the reason I came here; I wanted to have a fresh start."

Kipo's eyes widened. He hadn't expected this bird to relate to his current situation so much, and now he felt selfish and guilty for being so rude to the hookbill. He didn't even give him a proper welcome. What was wrong with him? Ana would have never fallen in love with him if he acted like this when they first met. She would have just carried out the bidding of her evil boss and left Kipo behind like a lovesick moron. "No, I should be the one to apologize. I was very impolite just then and I'm so sorry. It isn't an excuse, but I've had way too much to drink and now I don't feel good. I really wish I could turn back time a couple of hours and get this party started the proper way."

"Hey that gives me an awesome idea!" Pedro exclaimed. He lept towards the rest of his friends so that he stood right in front of all of them. "How about Nico and I throw you a legit welcome back bash for you! I think it's the least we can do. You deserve to have some real fun after what you dealt with." Pedro turned towards the hookbill and pointed at him. "Same for you. We could celebrate both of your returns to Rio. What does everyone think?"

All the adults present except for Kipo nodded their heads. "Yeah Pedro, that's an excellent plan," praised Rafael. He wrapped one of his wings around Manolo, the other over Kipo, and pulled both of his friends to him. "My two buddies back! It's just so great that you're here on the same day! Talk about a fantastic coincidence."

Kipo hung his head a little, his mopey frown returning. He looked at the glass he left behind, dejected, wishing that he felt okay enough to finish it. It sounded crazy but while he was occupied in the bathroom, he didn't think about Ana. He wanted that to happen again. "I don't know Pedro. I'm not really in the mood for a big blowout, you know what I mean?"

Nico walked over to Kipo's side and placed a tiny yellow wing on the spoonbill's side. "Aw, come on bird, you don't really mean that. I think a little fun will do you good. It'll just be your best friends, nothing too crazy. We'll even keep the music to a volume 20 percent lower than usual. Please say yes?"

The rest of the birds kept begging for Kipo to concede as well until the spoonbill let out a reluctant sigh. He smiled, hoping that maybe if he pretended he felt fine, he'd start to become that way. "Okay, I suppose it couldn't hurt to walk away from the cloud that's been raining on me."

"YAY!" the group of birds cheered. Pedro curled his wing into a fist and held it out to Kipo so that the spoonbill could meet it with his own wing. "You won't be disappointed brother. We'll make you happy, even if it kills us."

Kipo nodded his head, but he very much doubted Pedro's ability. The way the cardinal spoke reminded him of a thought that kept playing itself in his mind since the night Javier shot Ana. _I don't know about making me happy by killing you two, but maybe it would work if someone did that to me._


	4. 4 No Return Address

**Chapter 4: No Return Address**

The following morning, the flaming orange sun began its ascent high into the crystal clear, blue sky. When it reached its apex, its intense rays spread across the lush vegetation in the jungle surrounding Rio, setting it ablaze with warmth and bringing life to all who lived under its reach. Birds of all shapes, sizes, and color schemes began poking their heads outside of their trees. They looked from side to side, taking in the gorgeous scenery around them. The entire region of land that encompassed the Blu Bird Sanctuary buzzed with activity. Almost every creature within its boundaries could be found up to something at the moment. However, one exception applied to that analysis of wildlife.

In the nest of the last family of Spix's macaws on the planet, the only noise that could be heard was the deep growl that came from the back of Blu's throat as he snored away. His beak hung wide open and a trickle of drool threatened to spill over the sharp edge and fall onto his dark blue feathers. Lucky for Jewel, she didn't sleep in the danger zone. Usually, Blu would be the one to wrap his wings around his wife so that Jewel rested against the male macaw's feathery chest. Last night though, the pair dozed off with Jewel enveloping her mate in her loving embrace.

Jewel held a content smile on her face as she listened to the rhythmic breaths her husband took. With each intake of air, his soft belly expanded and then contracted once more, taking her wings along for the ride. Though she kept her eyes closed, Jewel stopped sleeping about an hour ago. She decided to be generous; however, and allow her mate to rest a while longer. After all, they didn't need to meet up with their friends at the samba club until noon. From there, they would take a short flight around the city to show Manolo around. That way, the hookbill could get reacquainted with the layout of Rio and learn about any locations that may have changed during his time in a foreign country. Afterwards, the group of birds planned to stop by Rafael's house and have a meal to welcome both Manolo and Kipo back to town.

The female Spix's macaw felt very excited towards the events of the day that lay ahead. So much so, that her anticipation got the better of her and she started to squirm around where she lay, unable to keep still. The movement alerted Blu, light sleeper that he was, and he began to open his eyes. Little by little, Blu's eyelids lifted to reveal the chocolatey brown spheres hidden underneath. He shifted his body a bit so that Jewel would get the hint and release him from her hold. Surprised that Blu had woken up, Jewel brought her wings to her sides faster than she intended to. Her heart rate picked up the pace inside her chest and she moved her wingtips over it to feel the pulsing beat. She hoped that she hadn't been to blame for Blu's sudden halt in his slumber.

Her mate sat up and stretched both wings above his head, opening up his beak to let out a long yawn in the process. Blu looked over his shoulder, his vision still poor from having just woken up, and tried to get his brain to focus on the breathtaking bird behind him. He blinked a couple times until his eyes obeyed his thoughts at last and he started to speak to the female he loved more than anything in the world. "Good morning, Jewel. Did you sleep good last night?"

Jewel smiled and nodded her head. She looked up just a touch and giggled, noticing that a few of the feathers atop Blu's head stuck up poker straight as if they'd been gelled. She put one of her wingtips up to her beak and gave it a quick lick with her moist tongue. Before Blu could object to there being germs on Jewel's wing or any other cringe sciencey stuff he could come up with, she reached up and matted the troublemaking feathers down with her lubricated wing.

To Jewel's surprise, he didn't seem to mind. All he did was tap the surface of his head a few times with a wing to ensure that Jewel succeeded in putting the rebellious feathers in their place. He leaned in and placed a small kiss on his mate's beak, eliciting another small laugh from Jewel. The smile that found its way onto Blu's face the second he opened his eyes widened further at the sound that couldn't be matched no matter how hard one tried to. Such a response from Jewel didn't happen often due to the tragedy from her past which stalked her like a shadow from the darkest depths of society. Thus, when Blu managed to get Jewel to let go and have fun the way she used to before her world came crashing down, he made sure to savor the moment and give himself a mental pat on the back. "Thanks, I wouldn't want to go to Rafael's grotto lookiing like that. Could you just imagine the cracks Pedro and Nico would be making if they witnessed my feathers in such a state. I'll bet Pedro would accuse me of copying his appearance and failing."

Jewel winked at Blu and then turned her attention to their four chicks, who slept on their own individual palm leaf plucked from the top of the tree they all resided in, lined along the left wall of their home. Each small bird continued to take in relaxed, measured breaths and let them out. They all remained oblivious to the fact that their parents no longer slept, their eight total eyes still shut and their minds much too busy dreaming to pay attention to the events of reality. "You do usually have a couple of unruly feathers up there." Jewel pointed to her mate's head and he followed her wing with his own, touching his crown. "Today though, it just got out of control."

"I'll say." Blu stood up and leaned backwards to stretch out his muscles after having laid in the same spot all night long. During the time his posture bent, Blu noticed a pink sticky note lying underneath one of the pointy slabs of bark which thrust out from the floor of their tree. When he straightened himself out once more, Blu gestured to the object he saw with his wing. His eyes narrowed as they made a futile attempt to deduce the purpose of the item from afar. Jewel turned around to see what bothered Blu all of a sudden, and she cocked her head at the sight of the piece of paper fluttering in the light breeze.

She arched one eyebrow and crossed her pale blue wings over her chest, suspicious of the rogue note that looked to have appeared out of nowhere. Jewel moved one wing to her chin now and tapped it, becoming lost in speculations. "Huh, I wonder how that got there." She turned back around and tilted her head upwards just a touch to make eye contact with Blu who stood above her height-wise only a little. "By any chance, did something that looked like that pink thing come with the box of art supplies Alicia got as a gift from Linda a few months back?"

Blu shook his head and did his very best to hide a smirk at the knowledge Jewel lacked regarding humans and their countless innovations. To someone who had been around people as long as him, he often could not fathom that Jewel didn't know about every little thing humans used to make their live easier. Jewel thought the species soft in that way, incapable of living in the wild the way a real animal would. She didn't understand their need for all the rules that governed their civilizations and why they couldn't just handle life like every other creature did. "No, only plain white paper and a box of 24 crayons came with the collection. There sure weren't any sticky notes inside. I however am grateful for that fact. I feel like if they had been included, we'd have orange, yellow, and pink notecards stuck all over the walls of our tree."

Jewel shuddered at the very notion of having to chase her four kids around the tiny space the six of them shared in their nest, preventing them from making a huge mess that she would then need to clean up. Jewel rolled her eyes at the picture in her mind of her picking these so-called sticky notes off the TV, the large rock that served as their meal table, and on the sleek, rubbery banana leaf that served as the bed she shared with Blu. "Thank goodness that's not the case. Clearly whoever designed the art set is a parent and can sympathize with the struggle we must have to endure every once in a while. Although, if it didn't come from there, how did it get in our tree?"

Blu shrugged his shoulders, beginning to walk over to the paper which acted as the next topic of debate between the two passionate lovebirds. "I don't know. Perhaps it just blew into our home from thr buildings in the city after being carried by the wind." He extended his wing out of the tree's exit, testing his hypothesis to see if it passed the first test. When he pulled it back inside, Blu smiled at what he discovered from his miniature experiment. "Yeah, I think that I'm right." He pointed back and forth from Jewel to the trees that could be seen through the exit. "If you come over here where I am, you can indeed feel the gusts blowing by. I wonder if it will be chilly in RIo today."

Jewel rolled her eyes and started to move to where her mate stood until she joined him right by his side. "I highly doubt that Blu, but let's see what it is exactly that we've discovered here." Jewel bent over and picked up the little scrap of paper. She breathed out a sigh and brushed the feathers away from her face that fell over her eyes when she reached down. "Alright." As she studied the note, her expression grew even more confused than before. She scrunched her beak into a frown and passed the object to her mate. "It's kind of hard to read if I'm being honest."

Blu's eyed widened ever so slightly as he took hold of it from Jewel. His wing began to shake a little, recalling the last time he and his mate discovered a letter addressed to them in the jungle when they buried their fallen friend. He arched an eyebrow at Jewel and began to unfold the sticky note, which got crumpled while in Jewel's possession. "It's got writing on it?"

Jewel nodded her head, unsure what Blu tried to be getting at. She took a couple more steps forward so that she now stood behind him. Looking over his shoulder, she squinted to try to make out the sloppy letters scribbled in haste on the surface. "Yeah, but I gotta say. From the looks of the handiwork, it has to be from a little kid. I mean, the writing looks like the person has never written anything before in their life. What I don't understand is how they managed to get it into our tree."

Blu flipped the paper around in his wings, looking at the two words from every possible angle. He could just barely make out two words from the indecipherable mass of smeared graphite. It appeared to say _Time's Up. _The male Spix's macaw's heart all but stopped at that moment and he let go of the object so that it drifted to the wooden bark underneath his talons. _Cheese and sprinkles._

Before, only his wing shook. Now however, he couldn't keep his body still at all. Jewel didn't fail to notice her husband's sudden change in behavior and she grew very concerned. Her brow creased and she wrapped a wing around his back to try to calm him down. "Blu, hey, what's wrong? It'll be okay just, what did it say?"

The macaw swallowed a large nervous lump that caught in his throat. He turned to face his mate, his voice coming out in a stutter, his tongue getting tangled on almost every word he spoke. "J-Jewel, i-i-it said t-t-time's up. I-I think that this was A-Angel's way of letting us know that he's b-b-back."

Jewel's wing fell from Blu's shoulder. Her mouth didn't fall open all the way but the halves of her beak spread ever so little due to her stunned shock. She knew that eventually they would have to deal with the murderous falcon again, but she held out just the tiniest bit of hope that he would stay away now that they dealt with two of his lackeys. Now Jewel felt silly for even considering it as a possibility. Of course Angel wouldn't stop until he got his wings on all four items he needed and took over the city of Rio. An evil bird like him didn't stop until his goals of getting the power he craved were reached. When she recovered at last to speak to her mate who appeared ready to have a heart attack, Jewel made sure to keep her voice steady. She didn't want to upset Blu any further than he'd already been. She put her wing back on him once more, but this time, she hugged him tighter. "Blu, listen to me, okay? I know that this is far from good, but we'll find a way to deal with it, alright? If anything, it's really great that he got up the nerve to deliver that stupid note to us today of all days because we're going to see our friends later. We'll let everyone know that the danger is back and then we can come up with a plan together. Okay, everything will get sorted out. We just have to keep our heads on." Jewel nudged him playfully and grinned at him, trying to put him at ease. "You taught me that, remember?"

Blu nodded his head but didn't look at all relieved by Jewel's pep talk. He still felt scared out of his wits, having seen the predatory bird up close and personal in his lair before. Blu knew what someone like Angel could be capable of, and now this lunatic knew where they lived. He clenched one of his wings into a fist, becoming the slightest bit angry towards one bird in particular. _Thanks a lot, Ana. We were safe and sound here at the sanctuary before you followed us and let him know our location. Now there's nothing we can do to escape him. _"I don't know, Jewel. Angel is going to be the toughest threat we've ever faced. I think it's safe to say that even the birds who worked for him feared him. How do you believe we'll ever manage to beat him?"

Jewel sighed and turned Blu's head so that he faced her. She could feel his anxiety coming off of him in waves, and she pitied him. They just woke up not ten minutes ago and already their chances of having a peaceful day got shot to hell. Jewel shook her head, understanding why Blu felt like they were in a hopeless situation. Every time they seemed to get the upper hand and obtained a chance to live their lives in peace, it got snatched right out of their claws once more. She would be lying if she didn't agree with his sentiment that it might be easier to just give up. However, they couldn't. Their lives weren't the only ones at stake if Angel succeeded. Millions of creatures in the city would suffer under his tyrannical reign. They couldn't allow that to happen. "I'm not going to lie, Blu. He'll prove to be the greatest challenge we've had yet to face. However, he's just one bird and no matter the reputation he's created for himself, that's all he is. We have strength in numbers. You know where his lair is; you've been there before. If we can all get the jump on him, then we can end his threat."

Blu looked like he was calming down a tiny bit, so Jewel took a deep breath and decided to keep talking. Maybe if she continued to speak, she could keep his mind off of the very real danger they faced. "We aren't really in any immediate trouble either. He only has one thing he needs, Javier's heart of all things." Jewel couldn't help but laugh at the idea of Angel holding the bloodthirsty military macaw's heart in his wings. That just proved why you didn't place such blind faith in birds like Angel. So many times the macaw declared his loyalty to the falcon, and the entire time he'd been plotting behind Javier's back. Angel used Javier until he no longer served him a purpose then gladly gutted him. Nobody held any value to the falcon unless he could manipulate them to do his bidding.

She lowered her voice to a whisper, her mate having stopped trembling by this point. Jewel assumed that the point she made about them indeed having time to make a plan did the trick. "He has no clue where the flower and watch are, and he doesn't have the mystery fourth item either. We can stop him, Blu. Together with the rest of the guys, we'll figure it out. You can trust me. I'll never lead you down the wrong path."

Blu nodded his head a second time, more sure of himself this time. He smiled and leaned in towards Jewel so that his beak made contact with hers. He felt so grateful to always have her by his side when his mind became embroiled with worry. She brought him back from the edge each time and served as that voice of reason to let him know that often his fears were nothing but overreaction. "Thank you, Jewel. I love you so, so much. You always know just what to say when I'm feeling down and confused. And hey, you know you could make a pretty good FBI agent yourself. Who's the one that let their emotions get the better of them this time?"

Jewel giggled and nuzzled her beak against the crook of Blu's neck. "Definitely you, but there isn't anything to be ashamed of when that happens. I mean, who wouldn't get scared knowing that a serial killer found their home and could have all sliced them to pieces while they slept. We're lucky he still needs us to find those two items we hid, otherwise, we'd have shared good old Javier's fate by now."

Blu smiled, a sight that brought joy to Jewel's eyes. "Yeah, I'm not exactly ready to become a Spix's macaw steak yet. First, I have to see if this story Rafael fed us yesterday is indeed true." He shook his head in disbelief. It couldn't be possible. "If his kids can indeed behave like angels, then I'll eat my own wing off."

Jewel raised her eyebrows and stroked her mate's wing, enjoying the velvety softness she was met with in the process. She exhaled with pleasure at being able to touch him. "Oh please don't do that, even if by some miracle his load of crap turns out to be true. I don't know what I'd do if I couldn't feel these built-in blankets around my waist every night. Being able to lie next to you makes going to sleep worthwhile."

Blu pulled Jewel in for a long kiss, their worries placed on the back burner for the time being. They could deal with it another time like Jewel said. For now, all Blu wanted was to slide his wings up and down Jewel's back, feeling the vibrations of her spine as she quivered in response to his touch. Blu desired to taste Jewel's tongue, always as sweet as her personality. Before long, the two found themselves spread out atop their banana leaf once more, Jewel lying on top of Blu's body. The lovebirds pulled their beaks apart for just long enough to take in a breath. Blu looked into Jewel's eyes, becoming lost in their sea of blue. He snuck a peek at his children, the four of them still snoozing without any clue of the drama that just transpired minutes ago. "Well, what do you think, Jewel? Do we have time for a little fun before we have to wake them up? You know, just in case, we lose all our feathers at this lunch and come home as bald as Pitbull?"

Jewel cocked her head in confusion at the odd comparison. However, she chose to ignore that part of what Blu said and focused on the first part of his proposal. Her bewildered frown morphed into a naughty grin and she pushed him flat on the ground. She pressed her beak to his once more in an eager, hungry kiss. Jewel moved her wing ever so slowly down Blu's chest until it rested between his thighs. She could hear his breath catch in his throat and he tilted his head all the way back, becoming lost in the anticipation. She leaned into his ear, her breath tickling the side of his face, and whispered: "Pet, when you said a little fun, you made the understatement of the year."


	5. 5 Welcome To The Neighborhood

**Chapter 5: Welcome To The Neighborhood **

The clocks in Rio de Janeiro now approaching the noontime hour, the great orange ball of fire, otherwise known as the Sun, cranked up its heat index to an oppressive eleven. As the humans walked about, they could almost swear they saw transparent waves emanating off the cracked cement sidewalks. Anyone with even the slightest bit of an active imagination could hear the telltale angry sizzle of an egg frying in the pavement. The black rubber dress shoes businessmen wore as they hustled to get to a place to eat lunch on time before they needed to return to the skyscrapers where they worked, sucked up the merciless rays of the sun's blinding light like a vacuum cleaner, causing great discomfort and pain to anyone unlucky enough to be in such a uniform. One would testify it felt like having your toes be the insect that naughty children often singed to death by using a magnifying glass to direct sunlight on them.

Animals in the jungle preferred to stay in their homes, avoiding the more open areas where they could become dehydrated more easily. However, a certain group of Spix's macaws didn't get the luck of the draw in this scenario. At the present, they flew over the many bland colored structures of the city, most shades of brown and gray. Jewel cringed at the crumbling brick and poor siding that often stuck to the walls of the places that the humans in this region loved to call home.

She let out a frustrated groan as she flapped her light blue wings, wishing more than anything that they would land. Jewel felt miserable due to the intolerable heat and dryness, so she saw everything from a negative point of view. On any given day, such buildings wouldn't even enter her thought space. What did she care if these fools wouldn't know a comfortable, natural place to live in even if a giant palm tree grew legs and chased them across the city? Jewel contained so many more important thoughts in her mind.

The one which reared its ugly head at the forefront of her brain and refused to give her any peace of mind was that dreadful, ominous note that both she and her husband discovered someone left in their hollow that morning. Granted, Jewel tried to act as if it didn't knock her off her game. She knew it disturbed Blu more than anything they'd needed to deal with before. She chalked this up to the terrifying fact that the villains knew where they resided and could attack any time they saw fit. Heck, if Angel wished, he could have ended the Spix's macaws while they slept and they wouldn't have even gotten a chance to defend themselves.

Jewel shivered at the horrible thought which sent a frosty chill through her veins, almost as if that frozen water substance Blu mentioned when he spoke of his time in Minnesota had been shoveled in by the bucketful into her blood vessels. The only reason Jewel didn't show her true concerns about Angel's little warning was she knew someone needed to keep it together. Blu taught her that after their neighbor Ana got killed. Someone possessed the duty of making a plan to correct the situation when it went awry. Deep down, though, Jewel wished Blu hadn't been afraid. She bet that if you put her body up next to an X-ray, it would reveal twenty times more fright than he held behind his soft, feathery chest.

For a moment, the thought of cuddling up next to her love hawk and best friend in the whole world on that very same, pillowy soft platform of feathers made her forget her troubles. A peaceful smile came upon Jewel's face and she began to glide with almost zero effort. It appeared as if she could levitate all on her own due to some supernatural ability. Her tranquil aura proved to be short-lived; however, as the anxious frown returned to her beak along with the nervous thumping of her heart.

Jewel shook her head and let out a helpless sigh. She focused her eyes on the merry group of birds who fluttered and twirled around each other, gabbing on and on about all the magnificent sights they took in and all the delicious, mouth-watering food they'd soon enjoy at Rafael's grotto. Jewel made a sort of half smile with her beak as her gaze fell on one bird in particular: her SPix's macaw husband, Blu. At the moment, he flew alongside his buddy from the day they met, Rafael. From Jewel's location at the rear of the pack, she couldn't really hear what they said, but it seemed like Rafael was in the middle of telling a joke. Jewel hoped that her friends wouldn't start nagging her to join the rest of them when she began to lag behind little by little, wanting some time alone on this leg of their fun-filled day to sort out her tangled thoughts. To her satisfaction, they's all been so caught up in having a fantastic time they didn't even notice her lack of presence.

Rafael must have reached the punch line because Blu threw his head back and let out a loud guffaw. This made Jewel's smile grow a little bit further, always happy to see her worry-wart mate letting go and having fun. Once again, though, her good mood dissipated and she shrank back into her funk. Blu shook his head, still laughing but not as bellowing as before, and wrapped a wing around the toucan the best he could while keeping himself in the air.

A couple of pesky, salty teardrops began to drip off of Jewel's long, curly eyelashes and begin their lengthy descent to an unknown location far below on the streets of Rio. When the clear liquid made contact with the ground at last, it would meet its end in the parched, dusty alleys that served as roadways in Rio's more residential neighborhoods. Jewel couldn't hold back the floodgates of her emotions any longer. More than anything, she felt grateful she flew behind everyone else so she wouldn't have to feel the shame of crying. Seeing Blu better than ever, though, and knowing she held a possibility of losing him to another great evil consumed her heart and soul. She saw what Ana's death did to Kipo. He was no longer the fun-loving bird he used to be. Now, he only drowned his sorrows in liquor. In fact, the sole reason Kipo chose to come along on their series of activities today was Rafael gave in and assured the spoonbill he would supply some form of alcohol at his home.

Jewel wouldn't let that happen. She made a vow then and there that the falcon would never lay a single claw upon the bird toward whom she gave endless love. Jewel knew in her heart that Blu devoted himself to a similar cause. He's proven himself several times in the past. After all, she owed her life today to the Spix's macaw. If he hadn't taken a chance and leapt out of the back of the smuggler's plane to catch her, she would have met her surefire demise in the dark blue depths of Copacabana Bay, never to be seen nor heard from again.

She felt a growing pit in her stomach of guilt over this, however. Like the fear, it threatened to eat her alive. Jewel could practically hear all the villainous foes they'd vanquished in the past cackling and mocking her, continuing to suffer at their talons even after their deaths. How many times did Blu show he'd be willing to give his life for her? Never once did Jewel get to repay that favor. At this rate, Blu would be dead the next time Angel paid a visit to their nest. Blu didn't deserve that. He displayed that he exceeded her in nobility and kindness time and again. Even after the way she greeted him when they first met, he still loved her and wouldn't let anyone hurt a feather upon her head.

Jewel couldn't let Blu risk himself like that any longer. Her gaze set in stone, more determined than Jewel ever looked in her entire life. If one of her friends happened to turn around and look back at her in that moment, they would have scrunched their beaks up in terror for Jewel's facial expression likened to that of a mighty warrior. A warrior whose mind had been made up and nothing, not even the strongest force in the universe, could shake her. _I'll show him that he doesn't need to rescue me when Angel comes. I can take care of myself. I've done it for so many years; you don't just lose instincts and strength like that. He shouldn't have to put himself in danger for me. I will do that and if I fail, then I do. But after all Blu has done for me, he shouldn't be the one to meet his end first._

The group of several birds now began to cross into the rainforest which surrounded the city of Rio on three of its four boundaries. Rafael's eyes lit up with excitement, knowing they reached closer and closer to the marvelous grotto he lived in. He turned his head to the hookbill who stuck to his left side, his old friend, Manolo. The hookbill made sure he didn't stray too far from the toucan for he knew very little about the geography of the vast Amazon after having lived away from it for over two decades.

Manolo peered down at the swath of palm trees and other vegetation that sprawled out before him as far as the eye could see. If he didn't need both wings to stay afloat, Manolo would have stuck one of his wingtips into his beak and whistled at the impressive sight. Back in the desert climate of Mexico City, green plants could not be stumbled upon often, if at all. What was a common sight to the rest of the gang as they approached their destination acted as a breathtaking feature that he felt privileged to lay eyes upon again. "I forgot there was just so much life here, you know Rafi? It's a really remarkable place, the Amazon. There is nothing else like it on the planet."

The toucan nodded with a grin at the observation his buddy made. "Indeed, mi amigo. It has been an honor today to show you around the city I am proud to call home. I hope you've enjoyed it all. From the samba club, to the Christ the Redeemer statue, to the hangliding from the mountains, to the beaches, just everything. I really, truly hope you had a fantastic time."

Manolo bumped his right side into Rafael's on purpose as a gesture of friendship and winked at him. "I had the most fun I've had since I left this place." His tone grew sullen and the features on the hookbill's face changed from nostalgia to regret. "Thanks to my parents I wasted so much of my life living in a country I despised. I don't know what went through their heads when they moved up there. There was nothing to do, the weather was equal to that of an air fryer, and no birds looked like me or wanted to play with me. I'd never felt so alone in my entire existence than when we stayed in Mexico."

Rafael formed a nervous expression after hearing this, and he diverted his attention to the sea of green below him. He'd never been too good at handling serious situations outside the scope of matchmaking. With that exception, the toucan was just generally more of a partying type. Sure he would be there for the bird as a friend, but he wasn't really a therapist. He decided that a simple wink couldn't hurt and grinned when it got Manolo's smile to hitch another ride on his bill. "I know it couldn't have been easy amigo. I've never really had to deal with a situation like that if I'm being honest. However, now you're surrounded by good birds. We won't abandon you, promise."

The hookbill nodded his head. He knew that every word Rafael said rang with truth, but it never hurt to hear it out loud. He continued to smile at the toucan who pointed down towards the empty field of grass below them. Rather than thanking Rafael like he planned, Manolo paused in the air but continued to flap his wings to hover. This maneuver required more effort and as a result, he began to take deeper breaths. The rest of the birds following the two stopped as well and followed Rafael's wing to where he indicated. "My grotto is just down there Manolo. I live with my family in one of those trees on the esge of the clearing." Rafael swept his wing from left to right to designate which side of the meadow he called home, the northern border.

Manolo nodded in understanding once more, taking in the newest bit of information and filing it away with everything else he learned this morning. Blu flew up behind the hookbill and gave him a playful nudge with the middle of his wing. Surprised, Manolo looked over his shoulder and arched an eyebrow at the Spix's macaw, wondering what the meaning of that could have been. Noting his confusion, Blu began to explain with the tiniest bit of apprehension on his face. "Just a fair warning Manolo, his kids are crazy. They like to hide in the woods and ambush any visitors. Be on your maximum guard unless you want to go as bald as a hairless cat!"

Pedro and Nico who at the moment flapped their wings in place to Blu's left exchanged an unsure glance. Pedro made a face that only one could interpret as,"Bird you're crazy," and asked Blu: "Yo what the heck is a cat?"

Nico shivered with way more drama than needed and held himself in his wings as long as he could without falling. "The name itself speaks of a hideous monster. Manolo, you better watch out Bro, unless you want this cat thing to steal your soul!"

Manolo laughed, amused at the canary's antics, and waved a wing to dismiss the thought. He too took a risk that could have resulted in a long drop to the ground below by putting his wings on his hips for a few moments. "Nico, a cat is nothing more than a pest. A lot of humans keep them as pets. I saw many a cat in the houses near where I lived in Mexico. They don't hurt birds unless you get to close since they can't fly. One things for sure, though, you won't find them in the jungle." He flew a few paces over to the canary and patted him on his trademark hat made out of a bottlecap. "So, you're safe little buddy."

Nico waved a wing over his forehead, cool relief filling his insides, washing away the trembling shakiness that overcame him minutes before. "That's good to know Dawg. The last thing I want is more action here. I just want to have a good time and let loose, forget the club scene for a bit, you catch my drift?"

Manolo scrunched up his beak in confusion, not quite sure what Nico hinted at. The rest of the birds present became really quiet, none of them wanting to address the issue Nico brought up. Kipo grew especially sullen, hanging his head and resisting the urge to cry for what seemed like the thousandth time. Jewel; however, was quick to jump in with a smart idea to cover up the canary's faux pas. "Nico was just thinking about the last time we had a party here. A few of Rafael's chicks snuck up on me and ripped a couple of my feathers away from my back. It's no big deal, though. Eva is around this time and she will make sure they behave."

Rafael rolled his eyes, not appreciating the slight jab towards his inability to discipline his children to great effect. However, he chose not to argue with Jewel for she saved the day with her knack for thinking on her talons. He decided to just shake his head and motion for the rest of his friends to follow him. "Come on guys, let's just go. Eva will be mad and punish us all if we get there and the food is cold."

#

When the group of birds landed on the ground, they heard a cheerful call ring out from the nearby treetops. Rafael jerked his neck upward, ignoring the ticklish grass which now scraped the bottoms of his talons and waved in the direction of the sound. He cupped his jet-black wings over his massive, multicolored bill and shouted: "Good afternoon, my tasty mango! Mis amigos and I have arrived!" He placed one wing over his heart and his facial expression grew more dreamy. He fluttered his eyelashes, hoping Eva peered out the hole of their tree so she could witness this display of his affection. "One of us; however, is more excited to see you than the others. Your lovebird has been apart from you for far too long and now he-"

Rafael failed to finish his sentence because with the speed of a bullet fired from a gun, Eva beame out of their home and descended right in front of her husband. She placed a wingtip over his mouth to silence him and stared in a seductive manner at the bird, making his heart begin to pound. "That's enough, my pudgy papaya. If you talk any sweeter, I'm going to keel over from a heart attack."

Jewel voiced her agreement with the female toucan. Her face cringed even more than it did when Blu said one of his famous overcomplicated phrases. "I second that Eva. I'm really not much for that mushy stuff either." She wrapped a wing around the back of her dark blue mate, causing a deep red blush to creep up onto his face and gave him a quick smooch on the cheek. This only made Blu's feathers heat up even more. If he didn't know any better, Blu would have sworn Jewel carried an intense flame within her wingtips that roasted him with every touch. "Actions speak louder than words. You can say whatever you want, but if you can't back it up then it's goodbye."

Eva stuck out the lower half of her medium-sized, mint green and black striped bill outward, impressed with Jewel's analysis. She then returned her gaze to the bird she'd loved for longer than she remembered. She too embraced him, though unlike Blu, Rafael did not feel self-conscious due to the PDA. "Well, lucky for this one, he's shown time and again that he's worth keeping around. If it wasn't for him, I could never handle all the chicks on my own."

Almost as if they'd heard their mother mention them, all twenty of Rafael and Eva's children zoomed in military-like fashion out of the hole in their palm tree. The mischievous group swerved and looped in the air in a perfect V formation. From far away, a bird watcher could mistake them for baby geese that just migrated southward for the winter season. After showing off their skill to a captivated Manolo whose beak hung open with awe, the birds made contact with the ground below one by one, saluting their parents and standing at attention. One spoke for the other nineteen young toucans present. His voice cane out squeaky and underdeveloped. Pedro nudged Nico in the side, and the canary leaned his head to the right so Pedro could whisper in his ear. "Looks like some bird hasn't hit puberty yet." Nico placed a wing over his beak to smother a laugh. He did well, only a small snort made it out.

"Mission accomplished Mama! We, the toucan brigade, have made it to the lunch on time as requested. For the remainder of the time your guests are here, we will refrain from having fun." The toucan nominations to be spokesman for his siblings grinned with a naughty gleam in his eye, hoping his parents picked up on the little sneaky ending criticizing how they expected them to act.

Rafael clapped his wings and eyed his friends, nodding his head as if to say: "Huh, how about that guys? I told you they could behave and you all doubted me. Well, who's laughing now, huh?"

Eva on the other hand didn't get fooled the slightest bit. She shook her head with disapproval and knelt down in front of the teeny bird, a threatening glare blanketing her facial features. The toucan chick began to back away, trembling with fear over having invoked the wrath of his mother. Once or twice, he looked over his shoulder at the rest of the clan for help, but the toucan children all looked the other way and whistled, pretending not to notice his plight. "Listen Mister, what counts as fun in your mind doesn't even come close to what normal birds consider to be a definition of the word. If you don't want to be allowed outside of your house for a week at minimum, then you and the rest of your brothers and sisters had better behave." She raise an eyebrow at the cowering gang of little birds and crossed her wings over her chest. "Do I make myself clear?"

The toucan chicks all nodded their heads, looking toward the ground so they did not have to see their mother's stern gaze. Satisfied, Eva returned to her husband's side where she got showered with approval and compliments from the male. Eva tuned Rafael out for the most part of his congratulations. She already knew that she rocked; she didn't need anyone else telling her that.

Now with their kids all handled, Eva walked over to the hookbill and offered a wing for him to shake. Her smile widened at the sight of a new face. Rafael already described his past with Manolo to her and mentioned that he returned to town, but this would be her first time meeting him in the flesh. After the two shook, Eva asked: "So, you must be the famous Manolo, huh?"

Manolo chuckled and shook his head; however, the smile never left his face. "Well, I wouldn't go that far, but yes indeed, it is me." He turned to the toucan chicks who stood as still as statues, much to the shock of the other adults present who already knew how demonic the kids could act when they felt like it. You have a gorgeous family Eva. I feel so lucky to finally get to meet the bird who made the infamous party animal want to settle down."

Eva laughed and looked at her husband. Pointing to Manolo, she said: "This one here has earned the meal I cooked for him. You two better not have one of those nasty best friend falling outs because I could really get used to him coming around."

Rafael just grinned, so elated that everything seemed to be going so well the entire time. After the casual hellos, the group of birds all sat down at a series of small rocks set up around a much larger boulder. Rafael really hoped that the rock had been there to begin with and his wife didn't have to drag it out of the jungle without no help from him Lucky for his conscience, Eva confirmed his suspicions without him even needing to ask when Manolo asks how she managed to set everything up.

The birds started digging into the wooden bowls which contained plenty of fruits and nuts that Eva found on the bushes and plants located just around the tree they called home. Jewel pries open the dry, wrinkled exterior shell which housed a Brazil nut within its protective walls. Taking a moment to study the perfect, peanut-like shape of the prize inside, Jewel recalled her days of going out into the grove with her parents, hunting for nuts to eat for breakfast. She refused to grow wistful at the memory, however. If anything, the image in her mind served more as nostalgia than sadness. Jewel always liked to think of her childhood when she got to pop these tasty morsels into her beak. It helped remind her that some good events happened during those years before greed and lack of respect for others turned her world upside down. "This is by far the best thing on the table," she announced to her friends. Ar last, Jewel placed the nut on her tongue, savoring each pleasing noise that she made with her beak while she crunched it. It didn't taste like much, she enjoyed it mostly for the texture and vital nutrients that the food gave her.

Kipo, who sat two seats to Jewel's right, leaned forward on his rock perch so he could look at Jewel over the figure of Pedro. In her direction, he raised a glass containing a thin pouring of amber colored liquid. Without wasting another second, Kipo tossed back the contents of the vessel and wiped his bill. This had been his third glass of the meal. "I'm afraid you're wrong, Jewel. Nothing can beat hard liquor, especially when you've had a rough morning."

Nobody responded to Kipo's reference to his drinking which he used as a mechanism to cope with the loss of Ana. Of course a part of each of them missed her as well, but they couldn't do anything about it. They all needed to move on with their lives and within their hearts, they wished Kipo would do the same. Therefore, they thought that maybe if they didn't acknowledge Kipo's bad habit, he would stop since he no longer got the attention that he called out for often. Instead, Eva took this opportunity to learn more about Manolo's current situation. "So Manolo, what part of the city do you live in so we can visit you in the future? I would love to see you again; it's been a joy having you at our home thus far."

Manolo placed the passion fruit he'd been busy sucking the seeds out of down onto the rock table and prepared to answer the inquiry. He shrugged his shoulders, looking to be feeling a little dejected all of a sudden. "Well, actually, I don't yet have a place to stay. Last night, I slept on the rooftop of a random building underneath a water tower. I want to find somewhere permanent soon so I can put down roots, but I don't know where to start. I've forgotten just how big an intimidating Rio can be, not to mention dangerous at times. A bird has to look out for himself."

Rafael scratched his chin, thinking of a solution to his friend's dilemma. Eventually, his entire face lit up having stumbled upon a genius idea. Eager to share it with the rest of his amigos, Rafael leapt into a standing position on his rock. "I know just where you can stay Manolo, and it's the safest place for birds in Rio at the moment. The lady who used to own Blu over there as a pet opened up a place called The Blu Bird Sanctuary with her bird doctor husband for birds to live on! There's plenty of trees, an abundance of food and water, everything a bird could ever need and want. But the best part of all you ask? It's illegal for humans to trespass on the property. That means it's danger free!"

Rafael looked from face to face around the circular artificial table, wanting to see what they all thought of his idea. Nico and Pedro each nodded their approval. Pedro pounded his fist on the mammoth boulder and spoke with great enthusiasm. "What a dope plan Rafi boy! There really ain't a sicker place for a bird in Rio to crash than the joint Blu and his woman got running. Well, next to our club of course."

Eva and Jewel likewise gushed at Rafael's brilliance; however, one bird lost all color in their facial features, turning a pasty white. Blu's beak formed an anxious expression and he began to tremble with worry. He raised a wing, as timid as could be, and called for his toucan friend: "Um Rafael, do you mind if I speak to you in private?" Blu pointed to the area behind the toucan's tree, his wing shaking in mid-air. "Over there?"

Everyone turned to look at Blu, bewildered by his reaction. None more so than Jewel; however, who stared at her mate like he possessed multiple heads. Rafael's beak hung open a little as he tries to think of a response to Blu's request. His eyes darted back and forth from Manolo to the location where Blu wanted a word with him. "Uhhh, sure Blu, yeah, whatever you need amigo."

Blu nodded his head, feeling too scared to even thank the toucan. He got up from his place at the table and Rafael did as well. Then, both birds walked the short distance to the grass behind Rafael's tree, feeling the curious stares of their friends burn holes through the backs of their heads as they went.

When the two reached the location Blu asked to meet up, the male Spix's macaw wasted no time voicing his concerns. "Rafael, I don't think it's a good idea for Manolo to move in near us. You see, this morning, Jewel and I found a note left in the entrance to our home." Rafael nodded, unsure at the moment what this had to do with Blu objecting to Manolo living at the Sanctuary. "We think it came from Javier's boss, Angel, the falcon. The letter said Time's Up, which we thought was a way to tell us that he planned to strike soon. If Manolo comes to stay on the property, he might become collateral damage in Angel's evil plan."

Rafael pondered this revelation for a few moments. He tapped his talon on the dirt ground and his chin with a wingtip. As he mulled things over, he caught sight of an earthworm burying itself into the ground to get away from the intense sunlight which continued to bake anything in its path. The sight of it made Rafael become aware of how hot he felt at the moment, so he began to fan himself with his other wing to cool down. "Well Blu," he began, "this certainly isn't good news. However, the fact doesn't change that Manolo needs a home, and The Blu Bird Sanctuary truly is the ideal location for birds to be right now. I understand and appreciate your concern and I'm sure Manolo would as well, but I think this is our best option. We'll just have to roll the dice here. The second you two or he thinks that Angel has been spotted, come find me right away and we'll rally the rest of the gang. He doesn't stand a chance against all of us, but we can't let him use fear to deprive birds who need a home of an excellent one. Do you know what I mean?"

Blu nodded his head, tilting it to the ground ever so little due to feeling ashamed of his overreaction. Finding that letter this morning threw him completely off his game and he had yet to recover. As usual, Rafael spoke many words of wisdom, proving his knowledge and years over Blu. The Spix's macaw smiled, glad that he had the toucan in his corner to help him get his head on straight in these stressful times. "Thanks, Rafi. I don't know what I'd do without you in times like these."

Rafael laughed and wrapped a wing around Blu the way a proud parent would do with their child. "Oh Blu, mi amigo, you are more capable than you think. Your intelligence far outranks mine in many areas, but where you lack is self-confidence. Someone always needs to tell you that you're going down the right path. What you have to work on more is coming to that conclusion yourself because sometimes sadly, you and I are all alone. There isn't anybody to rely on but yourself."

Blu bit his lip, embarrassed at needing to be lectured, but nodded his head all the same. He knew Rafael only told him things like this because he wanted the Spix's macaw to grow to be the best version of himself he could be. Blu knew from experience that if he followed Rafael's advice, most of the time it worked out for him. If it hadn't been for the shove the toucan gave him that day at the samba club, he may never have fallen in love with Jewel. "Okay Rafael; I'll do my best to work on that, I promise." His beak then spread into a wide grin. "Now how about we tell a certain hookbill the good news?"


	6. 6 Good House Guests Don't Snoop Around

**Chapter 6: Good House Guests Don't Snoop Around**

Later that evening, the gang which gathered at the grotto Rafael called home began to part ways. Pedro and Nico bid farewell to their companions, citing the need to return to the club before the crazy night rush as their reason to leave. Kipo stumbled away from his friends without so much as a goodbye. The spoonbill looked as miserable as ever and the other birds bet that if any one of them possessed a way to see through Kipo's sleek coat of pink and white feathers, they would notice that his insides prepared to revolt from the endless waves of alcohol that they'd been forced to sponge up over the last few months. Rafael and Eva walked the few steps necessary to reach their home so they could tuck their children in to sleep. Not surprisingly, this announcement met with loud wailing and protests from the many toucan chicks. Blu and Jewel couldn't help but laugh as they watched Rafael and Eva fly around the clearing, which consisted of nothing but grass that reached only to a short height, attempting to snatch their kids who did their best to evade them.

At the moment, Blu flapped his wings, worn out a little by the amount of traveling the group of birds already did that day. He shifted his attention to the sun, which appeared as a bright yellow an hour ago but now looked to be a a deep scarlet tone as it dipped lower on the horizon. The time of day Blu assumed to be nearing dinnertime for the humans. He recalled many a night peering out of the first floor window of the Blue Macaw Bookstore in Minnesota. More often than not, the window which intended to give a clear view of the lone street that ran through the sleepy town became obstructed with thick layers of frost and ice due to the state's chilly climate. Lucky for Blu, the powerful rays of sunset always managed to shine through the translucent barrier, letting the Spix's macaw know night approached.

Now, Blu thought about his next course of action as he looked over his shoulder at the six birds following his lead. He aimed a smile in the direction of his loving mate, Jewel. The female, still preoccupied with thoughts of the warning they received that morning and worries the falcon would pay them a visit tonight, failed to see her husband's attempt at gaining her attention. Discouraged and with a sinking heart, Blu turned back around, his brain returning its focus to the task at hand.

Besides his wife and four children another body joined them on their flight back to the hallowed grounds known to birds all over the region as their safe haven from heartless smugglers who cared only about their profits: The Blu Bird Sanctuary. This bird was none other than the kind, fun-loving hookbill who the Spix's macaws came to regard as a good friend of theirs over the past twenty four hours. Though they knew little of him thus far, Blu meditated on Rafael's advice throughout the course of their meal and decided to give Manolo a tour of the Sanctuary today.

Blu's main goal that he set out for himself with the limited time left in the day was to present Manolo to Linda and Tulio at their home. If it had been solely up to him, Blu wouldn't have felt the need to bother his old human caretakers at such a late hour. He could just see them now, sitting at the wooden dining table in their small house with their adopted teenage son, Fernando, preparing to eat supper. However, Tulio told Blu when the Sanctuary first got developed that he desired to keep a record of every bird that resided on the property. This way, the ornithologist could study how they fared being back in a safe habitat once more. It allowed him to determine if any bird contracted an illness and what he hoped most for, to discover a new species of bird that loved the sanctuary so much it came out of hiding to make a settlement for itself there.

So far, Tulio had yet to strike research gold, but he would have another tenant to see to that his needs were met. Blu tilted his head backwards so that he could look the hookbill in the eye as he spoke to him. Unlike Jewel, the bird had little to worry about except where he would find things to furnish his new tree. An excited grin blanketed his face, the prospect of making a life for himself here too enticing to keep under wraps. He noticed the male Spix's macaw staring at him right away and nodded his head in Blu's direction to display that he acknowledged him. When he did so, the thin layer of brown feathers atop his mossy green face bobbed up and down in the air. "Hey Blu, do you need something?" His voice rang out with cheer, the anticipation in his voice contagious.

Blu couldn't help but shake off some of his seriousness at the sound of the bird's carefree, innocent tone. A wider smile spread across his beak as he responded. "Oh not really, Manolo. I just wanted to check up on you, I suppose." Blu turned back around to make sure he didn't fly smack into the unforgiving strips of bark which protruded menacingly from the sturdy sides of the palm trees that grew all around the city of Rio. Doing so would result in numerous gashes all over his chest and face, the stinging and burning pain making for a horrific end to what proved to be an easy day thus far.

Sure enough, Blu narrowly missed one thanks to his gabbing. His eyes grew to the size of saucers and he took in a short, sudden wheeze of air as he lurched upward, avoiding a nasty collision with the natural impediment. Blu paused for a moment above the thick leaves atop the tree, their waxy coating reflecting what remained of the sun's light off its surface. He hovered in the air and inhaled big gulps to catch his breath from the maneuver he'd been forced to perform. Behind him, he heard a high-pitched giggle and he turned around to see who laughed at his obliviousness.

Blu smiled, but his cheeks grew pink with embarrassment upon realizing the chuckle came from his eldest daughter, Carla. The chubby macaw covered her beak with one light blue wing, amusement twinkling in her eyes. Around her shoulder, the lengthy white cords of her earbuds wound. Blu couldn't believe she didn't wear them at the moment. Of course the one time she chose not to listen to music, he did something stupid. _Just my luck_, he couldn't help but think. Carla pointed at her father and teased: "Daddy, you're already married to Mom. Stop trying to kiss the tree, alright?"

Tiago rolled his eyes and continued to flutter his small, dark blue wings in place. A more grim, impatient expression covered his beak. He looked not on board at all with what the family was up to at the moment. Frustrated and exhausted, he let out a loud groan which diverted both Blu and Carla's attention away from each other and towards him. "Dad, I'm really tired. We've been flying all over the city today, and I just want to go home."

Blu let out a sigh, not wanting to get into an argument with his petulant son in the presence of someone outside their immediate family. His gaze darted to the hookbill for a second, trying to gauge if the bird judged his parenting in any way. He hoped that Manolo wouldn't interpret Tiago's immature outburst to be a reflection on him. Blu flew closer to Tiago and replaced the look on his beak with one of empathy. "I understand Tiago, but Manolo needs our help right now." Blu gestured to the hookbill who blushed a bright red over having been put on the spot. "We're lucky enough to have a place to go home to tonight; he doesn't have that privilege. We need to do the right thing here and show him around the grounds, alright? I promise we'll head back to the tree right away."

The only tiny male macaw of the bunch continued to grumble and crossed his wings for a minute before he plunged to the darkening landscape below him, his stubborn frown not moving. Now it came to be Blu's turn to shake his head with frustration. His son could prove to be quite the pain in his rear sometimes. Couldn't he see that this was more important than getting back home quicker? Blu had always been a bird to help others in need. He couldn't just abandon those principles now. If only he could think of a way to satisfy both parties.

Almost as if reading his mind, which considering their deep bond could very well have been possible. Jewel snapped out of her thoughtful trance and interjected into the conversation. "Um Blu, how about we split up here? I can take the four kids home and you can go onto Linda's house with Manolo? Not all of us need to go and we would probably just get in the way. You're the one who knows the place best, so I think it's a great plan. What do you say?"

Blu grinned and nodded his head, very pleased with this proposal. He loved having someone who always knew how to ease his mind. He didn't even have to mention how he was contemplating how to reconcile the competing courses of action, and Jewel came up with a perfect idea anyway. "It's wonderful, Jewel. That'll work out just fine." Blu now flew over to where Manolo hovered, waiting by the side for the Spix's macaw family to sort out this dilemma. Manolo smiled, eager to get this show on the road. He wanted to be in a tree by nightfall, or else he would be left out in the cold. Blu motioned for his children to get closer to Jewel, so she could take them home. The chicks obeyed their father's instructions and Blu waved goodbye to his family. "Get home safe, okay? We shouldn't be more than an hour to 90 minutes."

Jewel nodded her head in agreement, trying not to let the nervousness which tugged at her heart show on her face. The one thing she feared most was being in the hollow alone for a time before Blu returned, but she also wanted to believe that she could handle the threat of Angel by herself if need be. If anything, this could prove to be a good test for her character if she ever got separated from her husband after the evil falcon showed himself. "Okay, have fun. Say hi to Linda for me and make sure you pick out somewhere really nice for the guy. After traveling thousands of miles, he needs a proper place to rest his tailfeathers." She then turned to her son, now beaming due to having gotten his way. Jewel narrowed her eyes, causing Tiago's satisfied grin to wilt into a worried frown. He gulped, wondering if his mother planned to punish him for making a scene. "Since you're so tired Mister, you'll be heading right to bed the second we get home. You will not have the option of waiting up with your sisters for your father to arrive. Do I make myself clear?"

The small Spix's macaw hung his head, ashamed at the disciplining words of his mother. Nonetheless, he responded with complete obedience to Jewel's command. Blu eyed his mate, each of them holding a smirk on their beaks. Nothing gave a rush of adrenaline quite like dropping the hammer every once in a while. After a few more parting words shared between the couple, both groups of birds headed their separate ways in the same zone of land.

#

It only took about ten more minutes for Blu and Manolo to reach the balcony which wrapped around the square exterior of the one floor home Linda, Tulio, and Fernando lived in. The two birds came in for a landing on the medium-sized branch which acted as a safety railing for anyone who wished to laze about on the natural wooden porch. Manolo tilted his head upward to take in the banana yellow walls of the house. He couldn't help but cringe at such a gaudy color. It definitely didn't suit his taste. He preferred the shades of water, in particular the light blue of a duck pond. It served him a connection to his ancestors.

Blu regarded the sight with much more warmth. The humble abode almost felt like a second home to him since he lived in a manmade structure for the majority of his life. Every sight of common human items comforted him and brought back joyful memories of his childhood, from the oak paneled door to the circular windows with cross beams, to the roof consisting of palm leaves tied together with strong, yet scratchy nylon ropes. Placing his wings on his hips, he let out a content sigh and turned to face the bird who stood fairly disinterested next to him. "Well, what do you think? Not too shabby of a place, huh?"

Manolo arched a confused eyebrow at Blu. Though he had much to learn about the Spix's macaw, he realized in no time that Blu came from a much different background than the rest of them. To the hookbill, buildings weren't anything to write home about. A bird belonged in a tree. Manolo shrugged his shoulders and made a sort of "meh" noise, causing Blu's morale to take a hit. "I mean, it's okay if you're a person, but I wouldn't want to live here. When do we go hollow hunting?"

"In a bit," Blu assured him. He lifted his talons off the ground and fluttered over to the door where he landed on the brass knob, just wide enough for him to fit both talons on its shiny surface. Although due to the limited sunlight, not much shine could be seen at the moment. Blu nodded his head in the direction of the door, making deliberate contact with the wood to alert the people inside that they had visitors. "The man who lives in this house is an excellent bird doctor and he likes to take note of every new face in the sanctuary." Blu could hear footsteps approaching the entrance, so he knew he needed to speed up his explanation. "This way if you ever need his assistance, he'll know that you're there and can get you it."

Manolo nodded his head, the misunderstanding which shone in his eyes a minute before beginning to dissipate. Before he could say anything in response, the telltale click of a knob being turned could be heard loud and clear, and Blu leaped off of it so the door could swing open. In the door frame stood a very familiar face to the male Spix's macaw. Blu's eyes lit up with glee and a massive grin broke out across his face at the sight of Linda coming to greet them. Besides the glasses she couldn't see two inches in front of her without, Linda also wore a powder-blue shirt and shorts with a similar shade of red to the sun which continued to set behind her home. Upon noticing who knocked on the door, Linda let out an excited squeal and rushed out to perform the signature handshake she and Blu shared. When the two finished by each making a "Pow" sound with their mouths, Linda exclaimed: "Oh Blu, what a nice surprise this is!"

It didn't take her long to notice the other bird in the vicinity and she narrowed her eyes quizzically at it. Manolo waved a wing to show her that he was a friend, a sheepish grin crossing his beak as he did so. Understanding washed over Linda's facial features and she turned her attention back to Blu so he could confirm her suspicions. "Is he with you, Blu?" Blu nodded his head and answered "Yes" even though Linda could only interpret his response as a loud squawk. She nodded her head and motioned for the two birds to follow her inside. "Well then, come on inside, both of you!" After Blu and Manolo crossed the threshold into the house, Linda shut the door behind them with a bang. She clasped her hands together, giddy with excitement and led her guests to the dining room where the other two members of the household were located. "I'm so glad you two could stop by. I haven't seen you in so long Blu, it feels like it's been forever."

Upon overhearing the word Blu, Tulio leaped up from his chair at the table, causing Fernando to whip his head up in concern that something bad happened to the man, and rushed to meet Linda and her feathered friends in the living room. Since the family of humans lived in such a unique environment, their home contained a lot of full-length windows which provided amazing views of the plants and other wildlife just outside. The floor of the building had been made out of the same wood as that of the balcony which Blu just came in from. Its color reminiscent of milk chocolate, it reflected the sunlight that continued to stream in from the sliding-glass doors towards the rear of the living room. The Spix's macaw smiled at the old-fashioned box television placed on a white painted set of shelves, upon which stacks of books rested. Back when Blu lived in Minnesota, watching various shows had been one of his favorite pastimes. The sense of nostalgia only grew stronger due to the fact of it being an older model. When Blu was a chick, there weren't really any flat-screen TVs, so Linda's parents didn't have much of a better choice.

The walls had been colored a shade of orange that reminded Blu of pumpkin pie. For a minute, he grew sad, missing the different seasons that came as part of the Northern Hemisphere package. So many things called out to him to return to the life he used to live as a human pet. His owner, his previous hobbies, the food which he knew laid hidden from immediate view in the cupboards off to the left of the sliding-glass doors. Blu shook his head to break himself out of this reverie. Sure there were some things he'd miss, but he wouldn't trade anything if it meant giving up his wife and kids. They meant more to him than all the Fruity Bits cereal in the world.

Distracted by his thoughts and surveying of the room, Blu didn't hear the approaching movement at first. Now noticing the sound of pounding footsteps, he cocked his head to the side, trying to recall where he heard such a thing before. It reminded him of the thwacking noise that birds with webbed feet made after they exited a pool of water. A few seconds later, Tulio skidded to a stop in front of his wife and the two birds. Blu rolled his eyes yet smiled at the sight of the crazy ornithologist bending over at the knees, trying to catch his breath after running into the next room like his life depended on it. His hair, despite his recent actions, didn't look out of place at all. It remained in its usual wavy appearance. Since he wasn't at work, Tulio did not have on the white labcoat that Blu grew accustomed to seeing the man in. Rather, he just wore a plain yellow t-shirt and brown shorts. The outfit looked quite comfortable to Blu. If he were a human, Blu might consider wearing the same clothes.

Linda giggled at Tulio's overly dramatic entrance and walked over to slap him on the back in a playful manner. She shook her head as he stood up straight once more to look her in the eye. "You can't just do anything like a normal person can you?"

Tulio shrugged his shoulders, an expression on his face that seemed to say: "Well I could, but what fun would that be?" He placed his hands on his hips and nodded at the birds perched on the back of a wooden chair which faced the TV on the wall to their left. A warm, welcoming smile came onto his face and he greeted the birds: "Hello Blu, it's great that you stopped by, and I see you've brought a new face along with you this time." At the indirect mention of him, Manolo lifted his gaze slightly so that he saw Tulio better and waved a wing at the man. "What is his name? How did you two meet?"

Recognizing this as his cue, Blu flew a short distance away from the chair to a coffee table in between it and the set of shelves. Atop the glass-plated piece of furniture laid a small yellow notepad with lined paper. Blu picked up a blue ballpoint pen that sat next to the stack of paper and pressed one of his talons on the button which released the ink-covered tip. Manolo, curious as to what the macaw was doing, followed Blu over to the table and peered over Blu's shoulder as he began to scribble letters of some sort onto the notepad. The hookbill could not contain his shock at the sight and his jaw fell a little towards the ground. Never in his life did he know a bird that could write human words. Everything Blu spelled out still appeared to be gibberish to him anyhow, since Manolo didn't know how to read. A tiny pang of jealousy passed through Manolo's heart, causing his face to darken for a brief minute. He wanted to be able to do all the things Blu's increased intelligence enabled him to do. Watching the Spix's macaw withdraw the tip from the pen once more and rip the sheet of paper off the pad with his beak, he thought about how much easier life would be if he could converse with humans the way Blu could. Maybe then more people would respect birds and not just see them as animals who they could hurt as long as their best interests got served.

Blu hobbled over to Tulio and allowed him to remove the note from his beak. As the ornithologist scanned what Blu wrote, the Spix's macaw's good mood only blossomed. Tulio already knew Blu could write English, but he really played it up whenever he witnessed Blu do it. Being a man of science, Tulio wished he could devise a method to teach other creatures how to do the same thing Blu managed to learn. Now finished reading, Tulio said: "Ah, so you met this Manolo at the samba club you and your bird amigos always hang out at." The man returned his attention to the paper and squinted his eyes at it, making sure he didn't mess up when he said the next part. "And from the looks of it, Manolo will be staying on the property, do I have this right, Blu?"

The Spix's macaw nodded his head eagerly, pleased Tulio didn't miss a beat. Though Blu wrote messages to Linda many times over the years, his handwriting could still be pretty sloppy. It wasn't really his fault, though, biological disadvantages were to blame. For example, Blu and all birds lack thumbs which really assist humans in holding their pencils and pens. Tulio bent down in front of the hookbill and stretched out a hand for Manolo to shake with his wing. Nervous at the man's close proximity to him now, Manolo backed away a few paces. Tulio, in a calming tone, assured the bird everything would be alright and that in no way did he plan to hurt him. "Hey, there's nothing to worry about, little guy. I'm a professional when it comes to dealing with birds. You're in good hands living here, and you're also more than welcome to stay. Take a look around the land after you leave the house and choose any tree that suits you best."

No longer uncertain Tulio posed a threat, Manolo visibly relaxed and his smile returned to his beak wider than ever. At long last, he'd found a place to call home in the city he wished he could have stayed in his whole life. He hated his parents for moving him away from Rio, but he didn't have to wait anymore to live the life he always wanted to. Everything was now falling into place. Manolo accepted Tulio's hand and shook it with his brown wing. He let out an excited squawk which Blu translated on the notepad as a "Thank you very much."

Tulio chuckled and with a dismissive wave of his hand said: "Oh it's no problem. That's why we pay taxes on this land, for birds like you to actually use it!"

While the two talked with Tulio, Linda had gone into the kitchen to prepare a tray of hot chocolate and chocolate-chip cookies for her guests. She knew they would always be Blu's favorites and his face would light up the minute he laid eyes on them. She came back into the living room now with steaming hot, ceramic mugs of the thick, creamy light-brown drink. Thin, almost invisible wisps of smoke danced upwards from the surface of the cups. Next to them, lay a half dozen toasty-brown cookies. Some chips broke in certain places, oozing their dark brown, fudgy goodness all over the surface of the treat. Linda let out a sigh and clapped her hands together. "I hope you both enjoy them. You came on the perfect day since I'd just been doing some baking earlier. They're as fresh as can be."

Blu looked up at his former owner and squawked a "Thank you" at her which Linda acknowledged with a big smile and a nod. Without wanting to wait even another second, Blu grabbed hold of a cookie and allowed the smell of it to enter his nostrils. Store bought chocolate-chip cookies had nothing on homemade ones. They didn't come with that charred aroma that came with the oven or the fragrance of butter still left over from when it dripped down the sides of the uncooked dough. He took a big bite, the melted chocolate from two chips stretching from his beak to the cookie until it broke off, staining the lower half of his beak a dark brown. Blu crunched on the crispier exterior, the flavors of sugar, oil, and chocolate all hitting his tongue and bringing him to dessert heaven. The next bite proved to be softer and chewier now that he reached the center of the cookie. Blu washed the leftover crumbles that hid under his tongue with a gulp of hot chocolate and turned to Manolo.

The hookbill had yet to take a bite of his cookie. He just kept turning it around and around in his wings, looking at it as if he wasn't even sure it could be considered food. Blu wiped the chocolate off of his beak with one of his wings and said: "Manolo, you haven't lived until you've had one of Linda's cookies. I'm serious; they will change your life."

Manolo shook his head and returned the cookie to the platter. "No thanks Blu. I'm sure that they're alright since you're wolfing them down, but personally I've always been a really fussy eater. It's part of why I didn't like living in Mexico. None of the plants and fruits I used to love eating grew up there. I hope that lady doesn't think I'm being rude because she seems so nice. I don't want to hurt her feelings."

Blu shook his head and waited to speak before he swallowed the last bite of his first cookie. "Oh no, don't worry about that. Linda is one of the most understanding people on the planet. You really have to do something like kill a person to get her upset." His smile grew wider as he nudged the hookbill with a wing. "Besides, if you're not eating, that means more for me!"

Manolo laughed and stretched his wings behind his back in a bored fashion. Since he made the decision not to eat a snack with Blu, he thought he might use the time to explore the house a little. The hookbill shook out his wings and jumped off the coffee table into the air. Caught off guard by the sudden motion, Blu choked a little on the new cookie in his mouth and coughed, some crumbs flying out of his beak. Manolo spun around to check on the Spix's macaw and explained: "Don't worry, I'm not going far." He then turned his head towards a hallway that led down the right side of the house. On either side of the corridor a few cream-colored doors stood, rooms hidden behind them just waiting to be discovered. Nodding in their direction, he said: "Just wanna have a look around; it's a nice place they've got here."

"Okay," Blu agreed. He then shifted his attention back to the refreshments, a hungry look in his eyes. "Knock yourself out. I'll be staying right here with these babies." Blu rubbed his wings together and licked his beak. Grabbing another cookie in his talons, he stared at it for a few seconds. "Mmm, come to Papa!"

Manolo laughed at the Spix's macaw before taking off for the hallway which piqued his interest. In total four doors could be found throughout its length, two on each wall. Manolo landed ont he first doorknob and twisted it open with his talon. With all his might, he swung the door away, revealing a neat bathroom. Its floors made of white tile were so clean, Manolo could see his reflection in them. He fluttered on top of the marble sink and picked up a rose-colored bar of soap. Studying the object, he believed he caught a faint scent on it. He lifted it closer to his beak and took a sniff, believing it to smell like raspberries, a fruit he wished grew in more places near the city.

Tiring of this room, Manolo flew back into the hall and hovered in the middle of the corridor, wondering which door he should open next. He tapped a talon to his chin as he thought, deciding at last on the one diagonally opposite him.

His flight across the hall caught Blu's eye and the Spix's macaw became alarmed as he noticed the hookbill heading straight for the entrance to Linda and Tulio's closet, the room in which he'd hidden two of the four items Angel needed to complete his master plan. Now, Manolo never gave him a reason to distrust him in the past, but neither had Ana. They told her all of their deepest, darkest secrets and it turned out she played them the whole time. Blu wouldn't make the same mistake again. He resolved to stop Manolo before he even laid eyes on said objects.

The hookbill landed atop the brass doorknob and prepared to open it when Blu raced in front of him. He held up his wings, causing Manolo to stop what he was about to do and look up at Blu, confusion reigning in his eyes. "What's the matter, Blu?"

Blu pointed to the door Manolo had been about to enter and stated: "I'm sorry Manolo, but this room is off limits."

Now even more bewildered, Manolo crossed his wings over his chest, awaiting a more sufficient explanation. "Why? Is there some kind of secret treasure in there?" The emotion in his eyes changed from questioning to excitement as his motivation to cross into the forbidden room became replenished. He prepared to turn the knob with his talons once more. "Let's go see what Linda and Tulio are hiding in there, maybe it's a bunch of bird treats!"

"No!" Blu said more vehemently this time. Manolo paused once more, his expression now looking a little concerned. Blu wondered if the hookbill thought him to be going crazy. He realized he needed to concoct an excuse of some sort to deter Manolo from wanting to go inside. If he found a watch and a flower tucked away in the ceiling, he would undoubtedly have questions, and it was safer for the hookbill if he did not know. All of a sudden a lightbulb came on in Blu's head and his nervousness decreased by a great amount. He knew just what to say. "That's where Linda keeps all her underwear, Manolo. I went in there once and she screamed at me so bad for invading her privacy. Remember when I said you needed to do something really insane to make her mad? Well, entering that closet is a fast track to blind fury."

Manolo looked to be pondering what Blu told him for a few seconds. That short time period felt like agony to the Spix's macaw. His heart pounded like the bass in the samba club, and he only hoped Manolo could not see the fear written all over his face, which would give away his lie. Eventually, the hookbill sighed, his wings drooping to his sides. He nodded his head in agreement and jumped off the doorknob into the air. Flapping his wings to hover, he addressed Blu, a hint of disappointment in his voice. "Alright, alright, exploring time over."

Relief washed over Blu's body like ice cold water and he relaxed as if Manolo never left the coffee table. Blu smiled and motioned for the hookbill to return with him to the living room. "Trust me, you made the right choice." He winked at Manolo, thinking that teasing the bird would secure his victory. "Unless that is you have a fetish for pink panties with lace trim."

Manolo's eyes widened and he sped back to the living room as fast as a bullet that just got shot out of a gun. As he blew by, Blu could hear him shout: "Did somebody say cookies? Mmm, I love them, I can't wait to dig in!"

Blu laughed as he watched his new friend scurry back to the coffee table in an attempt to evade the embarrassment he caused for himself. The Spix's macaw nodded his head, believing this to be a job well done. Not only did he find Manolo a home, he helped to keep the items Angel needed to complete his plot hidden from anyone else other than himself and Jewel. Not even any of their other friends knew where they'd placed everything. As he started back to the living room to join Manolo before he got up the nerve to actually eat any of the cookies, Blu thought to himself how impressed Jewel would be with his quick thinking. _Now if I could just combine it with fast reflexes, she'd never be able to outsmart me in combat training again. Then, I could say goodbye to sore necks and bruised tailfeathers._


	7. 7 Angel, the Amazing Puppeteer

**Chapter 7: Angel, The Amazing Puppeteer **

Having said their goodbyes to Linda and Tulio about fifteen minutes ago, Blu and Manolo spent the time since then combing the jungle within the limits of the Blu Bird Sanctuary to search for the perfect tree for the hookbill to live in. The Spix's macaw lifted his eyes towards the sky as he looked outside of the edge of a hollow that he now stood on. He let out a sigh as he took in the magnificent veil of darkness that blanketed the region. Throughout its pitch-blackness stars littered the canvas of the sky, glowing and twinkling without a care in the world. Blu changed his direction of sight towards the ground while he listened to the hookbill shuffle around the interior behind him.

Blu shook his head, feeling down despite the relaxing, fun time he had with his former owner and her new husband just a short while ago. He couldn't help but feel tension building up within him, the threat of Angel's imminent return looming over his head, suffocating him as if the wicked falcon locked his mammoth talons around his throat, choking the life out of him. Blu peered up at the starry night sky once more, this time also noticing the crescent-shaped moon which hung in the air as if an invisible thread kept it from plunging to the Earth. He envied these celestial objects, lazing about, not having to worry about anything. Meanwhile, in many way Blu carried the weight of the world on his shoulders. He had a family to protect. Blu loved them more than his own life and couldn't bear to see any one of them get hurt, though now it proved to be a possibility. If Angel completed the device he sought to get his wings on, it would spell doom for all the creatures on the planet. Blu just wanted to bury his head in the sand and forget about everything, but he couldn't. If Rio fell to Angel, he could never forgive himself.

A loud chuckle halted Blu's woeful thought for a generous moment and the Spix's macaw turned his head to see what his hookbill companion found so amusing. Blu tried to muster up interest once he saw the big smile on Manolo's face. Just a few minutes prior, Manolo gasped in mid-flight and pointed to the towering palm tree that the two now stood inside. He told Blu something about it just spoke to him and that he felt this would turn out to be the home for him.

Since they landed, nothing about the tree disproved that theory. The smooth, almost sanded down bark on the hollow's floor made for easy and comfortable walking around. Before he withdrew to ponder his bad luck, Blu wished his floors were as well-made as this tree. In their home, wooden strips stuck up from the ground like thick vines of plants, threatening to trip any bird who strolled around the interior without caution. Their sharp tips also often jabbed Blu with more force than they probably intended to. Blu would then curse under his breath and rub the underside of his talons, making a vow the bark wouldn't get the chance to harm him next time. If Blu lived here, he wouldn't even have to think about a first time let alone any time after.

In addition to this perk, no insects lived inside that could cause aggravation for birds. Nobody wants bitten feathers and itchy rashes, especially when attempting to get a good night's sleep. Food wouls never be an issue anywhere on the grounds of the Sanctuary because when choosing where to build the natural reserve, Tulio made sure that their would be plenty of fruit and nut trees for the birds to feed on. If all else failed, though, Manolo possessed the option of making a short flight to the house Tulio lived in and obtain a snack from the bird doctor. The lack of any holes in the ceiling of the hollow through which water from one of the city's infamous rainstorms might drip through, soaking an unsuspecting guest, added another plus to the list of why this tree should be Manolo's home.

As he looked at the hookbill now, waiting for him to answer for his sudden outburst, Blu felt pleased that this day's long list tof events finally neared a close. If Manolo announced his contentment with this tree, Blu could return to his own at long last and reunite with the rest of his family. He covered his beak with a wing as he let out a loud yawn. Manolo didn't blame Blu for feeling tired. The bird had been running around all day, most of which he did for him. He deserved one hell of a thank you before he departed. "Hey," Manolo said.

Blu closed his beak, the last breath of his yawn mingling in with the chilly, gentle breeze which wafted through the entrance to the hollow, exposing the birds inside to its slight nip. Almost on instinct from not being used to colder weather, Manolo wrapped his light brown wings around his chest and rubbed them up and down to warm himself.

He arched an eyebrow at Blu who just sat where he'd been since they arrived, seemingly not bothered by the cool night temperatures in the slightest. However, as he thought about it some more, he remembered something Blu told him about his past that afternoon at Rafael's house. Blu grew up with that red-haired lady in Minniesode. Of course, the hookbill never heard of such a location but the one thing that stuck in his mind were the stories Blu told about the weather that place got. It got freezing cold by September and lasted until April; therefore, they only enjoyed warm weather a few months of the year. Sometimes, the state got pummeled by unforgiving blizzards, carrying something Blu referred to as snow. Manolo still couldn't picture rain as being white and fluffy; he wondered if Blu fabricated this part. Whether Blu told the truth about this natural phenomenon or not, the bottom line was that Blu's body got used to cold spells over the years, something Manolo most certainly did not experience during his years in the harsh, baking climate of the desert region of Mexico City.

Manolo raised each wing toward one side of the hollow and grinned. Looking from left to right and then forward towards Blu, he felt so elated he couldn't think straight. "I think this place will be more than fine."

Blu smiled as well and nodded his head. He stood up and walked a couple of paces so he could be closer to the hookbill. "I'm glad to hear that." Blu stomped his foot on the almost fictionally smooth surface of the floor. He shook his head, still marveling at this natural feat. "Although if I'm being honest, with features like this bottom, the clan and I might be moving in here tonight."

Manolo threw his head back a little and laughed at Blu's statement which he knew to be a joke. The hookbill punched Blu in the arm playfully and winked at him. "No can do, Blu. I've already marked my territory here." Upon hearing this, alarm bells sounded in Blu's head and he leaped towards the exit to the tree once more. Wing over his heart, he struggled to catch his breath, praying that he did not just stand in urine. Blu could handle many things, but germs always existed as his biggest fear. When Linda contracted colds as a child, Blu refused to come out of his cage to play with her. He later abandoned this stubborn attitude after reading a book in the library which stated that birds can't catch such a disease from humans, but he could definitely fall ill due to contact with another bird's bodily fluids.

Noting Blu's reaction to what he just said, Manolo felt the need to reassure the Spix's macaw that he interpreted his words all wrong. He waved a wing at Blu to dismiss the issue and explained: "I didn't mean it that way Mr. Germaphobe." Turning around, Manolo pointed to a spot on the ground near the far wall of the hollow. Narrowing his eyes, Blu crept over to where the location indicated by the hookbill. When Blu failed to make a response to let Manolo know he found what he was supposed to, Manolo joined him near the rear. He bent down and brushed a little X that appeared to have been scratched into the wood. A small circle surrounded the letter and Manolo tapped the etching with a razor-sharp claw. "Now I'll always know which tree is mine in case I ever get lost in this jungle. I'm still not really used to being back in town. It'll take a while before I feel completely at home again."

Blu nodded his head, knowing exactly how the bird felt. It took him about three months before Rio felt like home to him. He would have never made it through had it not been for Jewel. Whenever he began to miss Moose Lake or wish that he stayed under Linda's care, she reminded him why he abandoned both things. He did it all for her and never did he think he made the wrong decision on that. "Don't worry, it does take some time, but before you know it, it'll feel like you never even left. And just know, if you ever need anything, my family and I are not far from here, okay? You can stop by whenever you like as long as it isn't late at night. The kids need their sleep, and there isn't really a lot of privacy as is with a big circle cut out of your home."

Manolo resisted the urge to poke fun at Blu's unhappiness towards the natural openness of the hollow. Sometimes, the Spix's macaw's severe level of domestication amazed him. It almost seemed like he'd been talking with a person over the last twenty-four hours. "Gotcha," he agreed. "Far be it from me to disturb your little ones. I myself know how terrible it is when you do not get a full eight hours. It's part of why I fly solo. I could never deal with a mate by my side, waking me up in the middle of the night." Manolo gave a little shudder as if the thought of being in love repulsed him to no end. "No thank you."

Blu shrugged his shoulders, trying not to show that such a thing stung the macaw. Though Manolo didn't insult anyone in particular, the revelation that he despised a major part of Blu's way of life irked him. More than ever now, Blu wished to escape Manolo's company. He didn't eat cookies, preferred to live a single life, the differences just kept piling up. He could not relate to this bird the way Rafael could. Maybe he just didn't notice it until now because before tonight, Blu and Manolo always had their other friends nearby. That way, the conversation never got awkward and their dissimilarities never obtained the chance to be brought to light. Alone with just the two of them now, the truth bubbled unpleasantly to the surface and Blu began to feel anxious. "Well, I better leave you to get settled now. I really should be getting back to my family now anyway. It's becoming real late."

Manolo nodded and dismissed Blu's concerns once more with a wave of his wing. "Yeah, yeah, it's no problem. You go on ahead and thanks for all your help. If it hadn't been for you, I would be living in the alleys tonight." He slapped his wings to his sides, letting out a sigh as he looked around the hollow once more. "I need to get this place furnished tomorrow. It's looking awful bare."

"I agree," Blu said as he stepped back toward the tree's exit. "One step at a time Manolo. This tree will be packed to the brim with stuff before you know it, and then you'll need to do some spring cleaning." Having reached the edge now that overlooked the green jungle growth below, Blu spread his wings and flapped them a few times in preaparation to fly. He smiled at the hookbill, remembering what he said before he started musing about the empty space. "And you're welcome. I had a good time with you back at the house with Linda. Had fun earlier too as well, I'm glad that I got to meet you yesterday."

Manolo nodded his head and grinned at the Spix's macaw. "Me too, I have a feeling that we're gonna become good friends. Have a great night Blu," he said with a wave of his wing at the macaw, "and hopefully I'll see you tomorrow."

Blu returned the hookbill's gesture and while he doubted that they would turn out to be the best of buddies, he couldn't deny that the bird was a really nice guy. As long as Rafael came with them on outings to the city, everything would work out in Blu's opinion. "You too, enjoy your new home." Then, Blu turned around once more to face the expanse of palm trees before him and took off into the air.

As Manolo watched Blu's figure grow smaller on the horizon until it disappeared altogether, he answered Blu's final statement in his head. _I will Blu, that is of course until I can return to my old one. You've been inside it before in fact, you just don't know it. _Manolo's kind, welcoming expression which he'd worn since the minute he approached the gullible group of birds now vanished. In its place materialized a cruel, vicious snarl. His wings curled into tight fists which he longed to throw into the face of the male Spix's macaw, and in his eyes could be seen pure, unbridled hatred.

#

He recalled the night nine months ago when his boss, the murderous falcon, Angel, returned to the abandoned building which served as their lair. Manolo, busy with a game of New Super Mario Bros., did not look up right away when the falcon shouted his name. He just kept mashing away at the buttons on his console, eyes narrowed as his avatar traversed the grassy in-game landscape. However, he nearly dropped the device when Angel let out a growl so loud and deep it could have shaken the roof.

Manolo tipped his neck upwards and jumped off of the couch he'd been sitting on, the scratchy fabric covering the object causing his behind to become irritated. Feeling a little annoyed due to having been interrupted, Manolo groaned as he marched across the hideous, mustard colored rug to the passageway where the birds entered after doing their mischief. Along the way, he paused to use one of his talons to relieve his back of the itching. In his head, he swore that hookbills could get lice, the scientists just lied so birds wouldn't worry about it.

"Alright, what's the big deal?" Manolo called to his leader. When the falcon came into his full view at last, however, Manolo's brown feathers turned as white as his belly, and he covered his beak with his wings to suppress a gasp. The contents of his stomach began to churn and swirl, and Manolo desperately tried to keep from vomiting the plantains they stole from the humans' fruit stands that afternoon. In the wings of Angel, laid the dead body of their military macaw comrade, Javier.

Javier's eyes had been closed ever since the vicious bird finished his last attempt to strike fear into the hearts of his enemies who struck him a humiliating defeat. Dark red, almost unreal looking blood stained his beautiful coat of light green feathers. In places it hardened to the consistency of a lollipop. If Manolo didn't know any better, he would have sworn Angel brought him a life-sized candy as a reward for his loyal service to him. Strangely though, a large wound stood out of place on Javier's body. A big, black crater lay where the macaw's heart should have been. That was when the hookbill shifted his gaze a little to the right and became overcome with nausea at the sight of the organ in Angel's other wing.

Manolo couldn't hold back his dinner anymore and turned around, vomiting all over the carpet and making it look even uglier than it did already. The sour stench of the substance permeated the room, yet the falcon tried his best not to pay it any mind. Angel just rolled his eyes at the incompetent, useless bird. If he didn't act as his only living servant, he would have killed him long ago for his disrespect and laziness.

The falcon, while Manolo continued to toss his cookies, peered down at the perfect heart in his wing. The intoxicating aroma of blood made the predatory bird's mouth water with hunger. He let Javier's body on the ground gently so that he could rub his black and white speckled stomach, which now rumbled in anticipation. Unable to resist the delicacy any longer, Angel bent his beak towards the heart and took a large bite. His eyes rolled back into his head with delight as more blood squirted out of the raw muscle. Angel's razor-sharp beak, adapted to rip apart the flesh of his prey, made quick work of his little snack. The falcon ensures he savored every last salty, gamey bite. It wasn't often he got to enjoy such a treat.

Before he could devour the entire item he still needed for his plan, Angel walked past Manolo, still bent over and letting out dry heaves as his stomach reset, to place the heart in their old-fashioned white refrigerator. Closing the door behind it, Angel licked his wings greedily of any of the remaining blood. He let out a satisfied sigh and returned to his henchman, calm as a kitten now that his tummy had a little something on it. Angel smirked at the fool of a bird in front of him and patted Manolo on the back to reassure him. "Now, now Manolo, bird up. How can you help me avenge Javier and Ana's deaths if you are acting like such an infant?"

Manolo lifted his head up to look his boss in the eye, tears beginning to fall from his own. He didn't want it to be true that two of his closest friends no longer contained life, but he knew Angel would never deceive him. Not to mention, half of the proof lay right before his eyes. The hookbill used one of his wings to wipe away the salty liquid and nodded his head. He sat down on the ground and let out an exhausted sigh. So much information to take in, especially the fact that all missions relied on him now. Nobody else could do the jobs besides Angel, but he usually stayed back to guard the lair. It occurred to him all of a sudden that he did not yet ask how his friends met their demise. Something changed in Manolo at the moment, his careless attitude disappearing. In its place returned the demeanor that made Angel wish to recruit him in Mexico City so long ago. His voice filled with hatred and rage, he asked the falcon: "Who dares interfere with our plans like that? Tell me Master and I will rip them from limb to limb."

Angel cackled, his manipulation working like a charm. _Foolish bird, _he thought, _you're just like those other two imbeciles. Broken and stupid, I can mold you like clay into whatever I need. You're the biggest bunch of idiots alive and yet I need you. Why should someone as powerful and intelligent as I lift a wing to perform such meaningless grunt work? _"Oh Manolo, that is an easy one. Their murderers were none other than the two Spix's macaws that have been a thorn in our side from the very beginning. What's more is that they got their dirty little wings on the items Javier collected for the device. In other words, we're back to square one. This means it is up to you now Manolo. If you cannot manage to step up and show me that you are the same bird I hired years ago, the malicious, diabolical, bloodthirsty killer that slaughtered hundreds of innocent birds in Mexico, then Javier and Ana's deaths will have been meaningless. The Spix's macaws will win, and the pathetic birds of the world will never know our merciless rule."

Manolo's wings curled into fists as he fumed, wishing to tear apart the first creature he saw just to relieve some of his temper. He needed to be smart about this though, Those Spix's macaws and their friends proved to be cunning and always seemed to be steps ahead of them. They wouldn't outsmart him if he took a little time to come up with the perfect plan. Then, he could have the pleasure of ripping off their heads and sticking them on a pike, watching the blood trickle down the sides of the rusty metal objects. A cruel smile blanketed his face as he nodded his head. "You have my word Master Angel. From now on, I will be your faithful servant and will do your bidding to the letter. I will craft a foolproof solution to our pesky macaw problem. By the time I have finished, they'll be bleeding out slowly, reaching towards the other for comfort. However, they will be just far enough apart to prevent any contact."

Angel marveled at his creation. Once upon a time, Manolo hadn't been a bad bird, just confused and lonely. All it took was a little faux empathy and persuasion for Angel to lead the lost soul straight to Hell. Sometimes, he amazed himself at how easy it could be to awaken the evil, lawless side of a bird and even better, make them feel like they owe you so they act as your slave willingly. He grinned and patted the hookbill on the back. It never hurt to praise his minions either, helped to keep them happy and want to please him more. "Excellent Manolo, you will make a fine co-king of Rio once we have everything we need in our talons. Take all the time you need, meanwhile, I think I'll send a little note to our favorite macaws, just so they don't think they can rest easy."

Manolo knelt down before the falcon and bowed in respect. "Thank you Master. It won't be long now. Soon we'll show all the birds in Rio what we can do. They will never know freedom again once we rise to power." The scent of the carpet's new orange and brown stain made Manolo's eyes water and he quickly covered his beak with a wing. His voice came out more nasal due his blocking the passages as he assured Angel: "I'll go get a mop and bucket of water to clean this mess up."

Angel watched the hookbill walk away to the other room, and once he knew Manolo stood out of earshot he threw his head back and let out a demonic cackle. The sound of his cruel laughter could have sent chills down the spine of even the most hardened criminal. "Oh, Manolo, you stupid puppet of mine. Continue to sell your soul to me, though, there won't be a "we" in power. There will only be I. Your loyal service won't go unrewarded however. I will ensure that you earn the mercy of death rather than spend the remainder of your life in a cold, miserable cell at night and in a line of chained birds by day, acting as my slave. Mwahahahaha!"

#

Back in the present, Manolo flew as fast as his wings would carry him back to the building which housed the three humans he had the displeasure of spending the afternoon with. When Manolo came in for a landing on the wooden rim of the balcony, he spit with disgust at the front door. Sinister thoughts ran through his mind as he went over his plan. Blu didn't want him to go in that closet for a reason, and he doubted it was because Linda kept her undergarments inside. No, something much more important resided within its drywall. Objects like the coveted pink flower that eluded their talons for years and the gold watch that Ana had been prevented from delivering to the, by those meddling macaws.

"There won't be any stopping us this time, Blu and Jewel," Manolo laughed as he began flying around the house, searching for a way inside. "You will regret ever crossing our path when I get my wings on you." At first, Manolo didn't have much luck while searching for an entrance. The sliding glass doors he'd witnessed during his time inside contained a lock on their handle. There didn't appear to be any other doors on the facade of the building either.

Manolo began to grow frustrated, and he let out a low growl. Placing his wings on his hips, he thought long and hard. There had to be a way to get inside, and Manolo would not go to sleep until he discovered it. He squinted once more at the house, seeing if he could find something he missed on the first go around. His efforts turned out to be worth it as he noticed a small crack in one of the windows. Squeezing through could be a little challenging, but he figured the space big enough for him to just fit inside.

The hookbill sped for the weak spot in the structure's security and landed on the windowsill. Laying as flat as he could manage on the thin, red-painted surface, Manolo scooted his body from one side of the glass pane to the other. His beak scratched the underside of the frame, but to his face he sustained zero damage. Once Manolo got his body all the way through, he stood up once more and waited for his eyes to adjust to the darkness.

Aftera few moments, Manolo realized he stood in the living room, but on the far left side near the sofa. Not a person appeared to be anywhere in sight and Manolo grinned upon realizing this. He came at the perfect time, the entire family already retired for the night. _This will be like taking candy from a newborn chick. _Wasting no time, Manolo flapped his wings as quietly as possible, heading for the hall with doors on both of its walls. He took extra caution when landing on the brass doorknob he knew would lead to the closet. An eerie silence covered the house, so even the tiniest noise could put Manolo's plans in jeopardy.

The hookbill took a deep breath and shook out his feathers to relieve some of his anxiety. His heart beat faster and faster, afraid he would mess up the quest at the very end, likely resulting in a brutal beating at the wings of his boss. Manolo shook his head as he prepared to open the door. _If I do get taught a lesson by Angel, it's only for my own good. He just wants me to live up to my full potential and for me to do my best. _

The sound of a creaking door behind him caused Manolo to freeze in his tracks before he could even make a move into the closet. In his rush to obtain the items, he failed to notice the stream of golden light which poured out of the space between the white door and the wooden floor of the bathroom. The hookbill, heart in his throat, turned around as slowly as his limbs would allow until he made direct eye contact with a half-naked Linda. The human clutched the towel wrapped around her waist in one hand and stood as scared as he did in the doorway to the bathroom. For reasons unknown to Manolo, Linda did not wear her glasses and her hair seemed damp and stringy.

Manolo didn't get any more time to ponder this question, however, as Linda let the towel fall from around her body, showing more to Manolo than he ever needed to see, and snapped it in his direction like a makeshift whip. Letting out a screech of panic, Manolo hightailed it back towards the open window, Linda hot on his heels. Not thinking of anything else other than his safety, Manolo tucked in his wings and zoomed through the very narrow opening. When he flew a safe distance up in the air and away from the humans' home, he turned around to see a pair of hands close the window completely.

Panting to catch his breath from the unexpected chase, the familiar feeling of fury bubbled up within the hookbill's chest. A terrible scowl crossed his beak and he flew to the nearest tree, lashing out at its branches with his wings. Why did it have to be so hard? He came at just the right time, didn't he? Why then didn't he hold onto the coveted objects at long last? "Curse that woman! I hope someone wraps that towel around her neck and strangles the life out of her!"

Manolo couldn't resist cackling with sheer delight at the thought of Linda's light skin turning blue, losing oxygen gradually as she paid for interfering with his mission. However, while he pictured her in his mind, a lightbulb went off. She hadn't been wearing her glasses, not to mention it'd been so dark, Manolo could barely see his own wing in front of his face. _There's no way she could have recognized me. I can always come back later. Those objects are in that closet; I'm sure of it. And pretty soon, they will be in our hideout where they belong. _

Pleased that he now harbored a new plan of action, Manolo began making his way back to the tree that he searched for with his archnemesis, Blu. A wicked grin came upon his face as he thought about what a fool the Spix's macaw proved to be time and again. "He has no idea that he and his friends are just puppets in the grand scheme of our plans. Before they know it, they will be paying homage to the great power that is granted to anyone who possesses all four of the legendary items. I've always wondered what the other two were, but I will find out soon enough. We've never gotten past these two sadly, but that will all change. Manolo is on the scene now, and Manolo does not play around."


	8. 8 Don't Try To Calm A Drunken Bird

**Author's Notes**

**Hello everyone! I just wanted to thank you all again for reading thus far. This next chapter is what I consider to be the beginning of a slippery slope downward for our heroes. Things will start getting uglier and nastier from here, but I hope you all will continue to follow along nonetheless. Please enjoy and feel free to leave your thoughts on this chapter in the review section. ;D**

**Chapter 8: Don't Try To Calm A Drunken Bird**

From the moment the following morning began, the inhabitants of Rio knew they'd be in for a wet, humid day. The flaming orange sun failed to have its light penetrate through the thick, gray blanket of clouds which moved over the city in the early hours of dawn. In a location with a more temperate climate, this would spell cold temperatures, and chilly winds. However, due to the city's position nearer to the equator, the heat index did not drop, only the suffocating mugginess increased.

As Blu traversed through the rainforest that morning, he struggled to breathe. With every flap of his strong, dark blue wings, he felt as if two invisible talons held him by the throat, squeezing the life out of him. Though Rio acted as his home for almost two years now, he never got used to its tropical climate. Blu much preferred the dryness of Minnesota's weather, which often caused him to apply a thin layer of Vaseline to his beak to prevent the exterior from cracking on very cold days.

"God, I'll never understand how this oppressive moisture never bothers Jewel. It's like the inside of her body is one giant dehumidifier!" When Blu woke up that morning, his daughter, Carla, almost immediately ran to his side. She'd clung to his feathers and practically drug Blu over to the palm leaf which acted as her bed throughout the night. Noting the horrified look in her eyes and her panciked tone of voice as she called him over, Blu nearly had a heart attack by the time they completed the short journey across the hollow.

Blu should have known better though. After all, if Carla could be remembered for anything other than her love for music, it would be her tendency to act more dramatic than the situation called for. She pointed to the small, white object on the ground which her parents often thought she could not live without, the MP3 player Pedro gifted her with the day her egg hatched. Between sharp breaths of air, Carla explained that the device no longer turned on and she couldn't understand why.

Her father let out an exasperated sigh and rubbed his eyes with his two wings. Sometimes, he wished he could just pull a Jewel and claim that she didn't know how any of these human things worked. Alas, she would be no help to him in this situation, so he knew he'd have to take the lead on this one. After telling Carla to relax and that he would make sure he got to the root of the problem, it didn't take long for Blu to discover that the batteries inside burned out after nine months of use.

Carla, relieved that the entire machine didn't have to be tossed in the trash, calmed down a little more now. She asked Blu if the family owned any batteries inside their house. Blu said no, which elicited a terrified gasp from his daughter. Blu gestured with his wings for her to chill and told her to let him finish. They didn't possess any of the object needed, but Linda and Tulio did. All Blu needed to do was make a quick flight back and forth to their home, and her MP3 would be fixed in no time.

So, at the moment, Blu continued to make his way to the small, yellow abode where his former owner lived for the second day in a row. A smile made its way onto his beak as he forgot about the disgusting, sticky weather for a minute, thinking about getting to see his old friend again. Unlike last night, however, Blu wouldn't be able to stay long. The whole family needed to get ready for the party at Nico and Pedro's samba club tonight. Everyone looked forward to an evening of celebration to welcome the return of two friends to the city, one old and one new.

At the thought of the recent addition to their group, Blu couldn't help but wonder how Manolo fared in his new home this morning. Did he enjoy it as much as he expected? Perhaps, on his way back to their tree, Blu would drop in and check on the hookbill. It couldn't hurt to make him feel more welcome in the neighborhood.

Now, however, the bright colored exterior of Linda's home came into sight. It stuck out even more today against the dreary gray and black background of the angry sky. Blu hovered in place for a moment, attempting to recall what type of batteries Carla's device required. His face scrunched up as he thought hard about the question. _Now how many A's was it again? Two or three? Oh boy, I better remember soon or I'll never get any peace and quiet today. _

Blu resumed his mission, angling his body so that he now aimed downward towards the wraparound wooden balcony of the house. He came in for a landing just outside the front door on the brass knob. Right before he'd been about to knock, the memory hit Blu with the force of a train, and his face lit up, impressed that it came to him. "A-ha! It was four A's! I remember telling myself that it's the same number of letters as kids I have. You go Blu, there's a reason you were the smartest bird on Snowball Street!"

Now with the knowledge back in his mind, Blu rapped on the door a few times with one of his talons. A high-pitched voice shouted back from within to hold on a second, and Blu's beak stretched into an excited grin. Though the visit would only be a short one, getting to see Linda at all always made him happy. A few seconds later, the door swung open and Blu hopped off the knob, flapping his wings to hover in midair just outside the entrance. Linda's face became overcome with enthusiasm when she saw who laid on the other side. She waved eagerly at the bird, and then gestured for him to come in. "Hi, Blu! Wow, this is wonderful. Why are you back so soon? Did you forget something last night?"

When Blu entered the living room, he headed straight for the coffee table in the center. Much to his surprise, the room rested in a state of pure quiet. Blu cocked his head to the side, wondering why this could be. Almost as if she read his thoughts, Linda chuckled as she closed the door. "Don't worry Blu, Tulio and Fernando didn't disappear. Tulio went to the aviary, and Fernando is at school. So, it's just me right now."

Blu nodded his head to show that he understood and allowed Linda to stroke the feathers on top of his head. Bending down to be closer to him, she asked: "So, what's on your mind, Blu? I hope there isn't anything wrong at home."

The Spix's macaw shook his head to reassure his former owner that nothing of the sort happened. To clear things up, he trotted over to the pad of notebook paper still on the piece of furniture from last night. Blu picked up a pencil with one of his talons, and using the skill he developed over the years in the bookstore, scribbled down what he needed from Linda. When Blu finished writing what he had to say, he dropped the pencil and pushed the stack of pages towards Linda with his beak. Obeying his command, Linda picked up the pad and squinted her eyes as she attempted to make out his slightly illegible words. Once she figured it out, a wave of realization swept over her face. "Oh, battery trouble? No problem Blu, I will be right back with them."

Blu squawked a "thank you" event though Linda couldn't understand him. He fluttered from the table onto the leather couch behind it and settled in as he waited for Linda to return from the kitchen. From the next room, Blu could hear the sound of drawers being opened and closed as well as various articles getting swished around, likely as Linda tried to find the batteries. "You'll never guess what happened last night, Blu!" she shouted so he could hear her from where she stood. "I came out of the bathroom and there was a giant bird on the closet's doorknob. It was crazy!"

When Blu's brain finished processing the words Linds just spoke, the entire room tilted sideways. Blu struggled to remain conscious, and his heart sped up to equal the whirring of a jet's engine blades. Waves of nausea came over Blu, and he resisted the urge to throw up all over Linda's good couch. Linda found it odd that Blu did not respond to her question, but she figured he stayed quiet because she'd been too far away to be heard. She walked back into the living room, but Blu remained in such terrible shock that he didn't even notice her come in.

Linda dropped the batteries on the table in front of Blu. The small clack noise they made when they hit the surface startled Blu out of his terrified daze with a jolt. Linda gasped, thinking she scared him, so she reached down to stroke his feathers to comfort him. "Oh, cheese and sprinkles. I'm sorry, Blu, I hope that noise didn't bother you too much."

Somehow Blu's senses returned to him enough to let out a squawk to reassure Linda that he was good. Blu snatched up the batteries and made a beeline for the closet, the door now open. He assumed that the reason for that was the family needing to get dressed in the morning and not because of what he feared. Linda shifted her head to the direction of the hall just in time to see Blu disappear inside the small room. She followed Blu over to see what he was up to now.

By the time Linda reached the doorway between the two parts of the house, Blu already stuck his wing in the tiny slit under the ceiling and felt around inside it. Linda looked up at the macaw, her jaw hanging open the tiniest bit in awe at his actions. "Blu, what are you doing?" A hint of concern could be heard in her voice, this outburst didn't fit with Blu's usual subdued, careful-thinking personality.

Thanks to the grace of the ancestors of the Spix's macaw race, Blu touched something solid within the space. Cool, soothing relief splashed upon his body like water from a rejuvenating spring. He withdrew his wing from the crack, two objects now in his grasp, a pink flower and a golden watch. Blu let out a few pent up breaths, the tight feeling in his chest dissipating with each exhalation. Never in his life had he been so happy to lay his eyes on these troublesome items, for as long as they rested in good wings and not those of evil, he needn't fear.

Linda,'s eyes, however, grew so large they almost bugged out of her head. She hadn't been aware of anything in her closet except clothes. Where did that stuff come from, and how did Blu know it'd been there? Did he put it in that crack? She opened her mouth, preparing to voice all these questions, but before she could so, Blu sped past her like a flash and out into the hall. Linda stuck her head out of the doorway, seeing Blu wave goodbye to her with a squawk. She couldn't move from where she stood, too stunned to do anything but watch him go.

#

Blu flew faster than ever before in his life, trying to get home without catching the eyes of any potential enemies who could be lurking within the depths of the jungle. He shook his head, meditating on what just transpired moments ago. How could something like this have happened? A bird showing up in Linda's house, standing on the knob of her closet the very next day after he told Manolo to stay away from that room? No way this could be a coincidence. Blu never really trusted that bird from the beginning. He told Rafael it wouldn't be a good idea for Manolo to move onto the sanctuary grounds, and now look what happened. The bird worked for their biggest enemy at the moment. The toucan would indeed get a big earful tonight.

At long last, Blu touched down on the sharp, uneven wooden surface of their tree hollow. He winced at the uncomfortable feeling of the bark underneath his talons. He knew he'd never get completely used to this life in the wild. Blu much preferred the crinkly texture of newsprint and the metal bars of a birdcage. However, when he laid eyes on his lovebird fixing up her feathers for the occasion tonight, all negative thoughts left his head. He would live in a dumpster filled with smelly trash before leaving her.

Jewel noticed Blu come in and gave him a warm smile to greet him. "Hi Pet, did you get what Carla needed?" She gestured towards the pouting chick who looked ready to kill anyone who approached her. "I certainly hope so because she's been in one hell of a mood all morning. I'm ready to toss her out the entrance to our tree."

Blu chuckled and nodded his head. "No worries, Jewel. I have obtained what has been missing." Hearing this, Carla perked up in an instant and ran to meet her father. Blu gave his eldest daughter a wink and dropped the two batteries in her outstretched wings, one by one.

A massive grin split Carla's face and she let out a squeal of delight. She wrapped her wings around her father's waist and gave him a tight, affectionate squeeze. "Oh thank you so much Daddy! I love you more than anything else in the world!"

"Hey," Jewel teased, spinning around and arching an eyebrow at her child. "What about your mother? I put up with your whining for the last hour and granted you the mercy of not getting a spanking because I felt bad for you."

Red flushes of embarrassment crept onto Carla's cheeks. She released Blu and turned towards her mother, her wings held behind her back in shame. "I'm sorry, Mommy. You know I love you."

Jewel rolled her eyes and dismissed the chick with a wave of her wing. A playful smile returned to her beak. "Of course I do; I was only teasing. Run along now and enjoy your music." Carla didn't need to be told twice. She placed the batteries in her MP3 in record time, and before another minute passed, the other birds in the hollow could already hear her humming along to a tune. Jewel let out a sigh and walked over to her mate to plant a kiss on his cheek. When she pulled back to look into his eyes, however, her smile fell from her face. She noticed the sad, nervous look Blu held and became overcome with worry in an instant. "Blu, what's wrong?" Then, her gaze drifted to the other things Blu held in his wings, and her eyes widened.

Blu motioned in the direction of the hole to their tree for Jewel to follow him outside. "Come with me, we need to talk in private."

#

Outside, Jewel and Blu sat next to each other on a branch, still close enough to the kids where they could come help them if they called. Jewel hung her head, unable to believe what Blu told her. It just seemed like they could never catch a break, that no matter where they went, evil waited around every bend. "I can't believe this," she said, "so that Manolo must be working for Angel, huh?"

Blu nodded his head and opened his wing again to look at the items he held once more. "Yeah, I mean, what other explanation could there possibly be? What are the odds that I tell him not to go in the closet and then a few hours later, Linda seesa bird outside that very room. Either he went back thinking that he'd find something, or worse, he told Angel where to look and he traveled there to see if he could obtain the items. We're just so lucky that Linda walked into the hall when she did. Otherwise, that lunatic could have his wings on three out of four of the things he needs to take over Rio."

Jewel shook her head, one part of the puzzle still not making sense to her. "I just don't get it. Rafael said he knew this bird from when they were little kids. How could he change from such a nice bird to one who would serve evil? I can't even comprehend that."

"Well, think about Ana," Blu reminded his mate. "She was the same case, just the opposite. Bad at the beginning and then we helped her show that wasn't the way. I don't think we'll have too much luck with this guy though. If he was really sincere, I think reuniting with Rafael would have been enough to change him alone. We're just gonna have to face facts that the location we hid the objects in before is no longer safe and place them somewhere else."

Jewel let out a tired sigh. She shook her head once more, fed up with the whole ordeal. The group of them were supposed to have a good time tonight. They'd been meant to let loose and have fun. Instead, all they would be doing would be making themselves sick over the threat which continued to loom over their heads. Thinking about the doomed party made Jewel let out a horrified gasp. Upon hearing it, Blu whirled his head around to face her and he spoke with total fear in his voice. "What, what's the matter?"

His mate looked into his eyes, her beak trembling with nervousness. Blu reached out to wrap his wings around her in a comforting embrace. He couldn't stand to see her cry. Every moment Jewel felt sad, a piece of Blu's heart withered away. It took years off of his life seeing her suffer. He couldn't live another day if anyone ever took his precious Jewel from him. She meant more to him than anything else in the world. "Blu, this celebration at the club we were supposed to be going to tonight is held partly in Manolo's honor. We're going to need to act like we have no clue what's going on, or he will find out that we're onto him. If he then alerts Angel, the falcon might seek revenge on us. He could hurt our children!" Jewel said this last sentence with a crack in her voice, tears threatening to spill down the sides of her face.

Blu continued to rub his wing up and down Jewel's soft, feathery back, determined to soothe her no matter how long he needed to stay in this one spot. "Listen to me, Jewel. I will never let anything happen to you or the kids. I will give up my life before Angel can lay a single claw on any one of you, that you have my word. We can figure this out. Before we go tonight, we'll hide the flower and watch somewhere safe in the tree, and then tomorrow, we will look for a more suitable location. The closet kept those objects out of sight for almost a year. Next time, no one will ever find them again. Does that sound like a good plan?"

Jewel took in a deep breath and let it out again. She shook out her feathers, trying to allow the stress to leave her body. After a moment, she nodded her head in agreement. "Yeah, yeah, alright. That sounds good. I'll be able to have fun and act natural tonight if I know we have a plan of action."

"Indeed we do," Blu assured her. "A foolproof one at that. That hookbill and his slimy boss won't realize their goals, mark my words."

#

"He-hey Nico! Check out who has just entered the party zone!" Pedro flew down from his perch on the balcony surrounding the DJ equipment to give Blu and Jewel each a high five. He swiped a wing cross his forehead, the heat in the club starting to get to him. "Man, it's been a nasty one today, hasn't it guys? I wish it would just rain already and have some mercy on us. Anything will be better than this whack humidity."

Blu laughed at the cardinal's complaints but nodded his head in agreement nonetheless. "I couldn't agree more, Pedro. I had to go run an errand this morning, and the entire time I felt like I was about to self-combust." As he talked to Pedro, he noticed his little yellow canary friend gliding down from the second floor to greet their guests as well. Blu gave Nico a fist pump when he reached right in front of Blu. "Thanks for having us tonight, you two. Jewel and I really needed a night to just have fun."

Pedro waved a wing as if it had been nothing. "No worries, bro, that's what we're here for. We aim to please and that's all there is to it."

Jewel looked around the club, smiling at the large banner which hung from the wooden rafters of the building. The large strip of yellow paper held colored stick-on letters which spelled out "Welcome Back To Rio, Kipo And Manolo!" Jewel couldn't help but feel her stomach turn as she read the last word. Despite the rainbow lights which flashed across the dance floor, begging patrons to boogie down on the tile surface; the endless array of fruit and desserts spread out on a picnic table by the bar; and being able to enjoy the night without worrying about watching her children thanks to Eva agreeing to babysit, Jewel couldn't calm down. At any moment, she felt Angel and Manolo would spring out from behind one of the many cardboard boxes or wooden crates which littered the vicinity of the building.

As her careful gaze took note of everything in sight, something stood out to her which only served to increase her strong feelings of discomfort. She plastered on a fake smile and tried to hide the terror and uneasiness in her voice the best she could when she asked her question. "Um, so guys, where is Manolo? He's the only one I don't see here yet." Jewel pointed towards the bar where Rafael and Kipo sat on two stools, conversing with each other and drinking. "Does Rafael know that he's late?"

Nico shrugged his shoulders. "Yeah, he's aware but as far as why the guy hasn't dropped by yet, your guess is as good as mine." The canary turned to his best friend and frowned, his eyes shining with the tiniest bit of hurt. "You don't think he thought the party wouldn't be worth his time, do you?"

Pedro shook his head, his smile as confident as ever. "Not even for a second, buddy. Maybe he just got stuck in traffic or something. You know that after seven the sky is loaded with seagulls trying to make their way back from the coast. I made the mistake of flying through that mess one time and got back to my tree an hour later than usual. It's fifty shades of crazy, trust me."

Now that Jewel asked this, however, Blu didn't feel all that reassured by Pedro's explanation. Perhaps, the reason for Manolo's absence was he planned to spend the night searching Linda's house again. Only this time, he wouldn't find anything inside. Even worse, what if he and Angel, knowing the party would be held tonight decided to drop by their tree to hurt their children? Thank goodness the kids were safe at Rafael's grotto. Otherwise, Blu would have flown back home right at that very moment.

The Spix's macaw left his thoughts when a friendly voice broke into the conversation. "Hola amigos!" Rafael bellowed in his usual cheerful tone. He walked over to Blu and gave him a big hug. Blu returned the gesture, but felt guilty upon seeing the toucan up close. Blu knew something about the hookbill that Rafael didn't, and he wasn't sure if he should tell him. The toucan looked so happy when Manolo showed up at the club that day; would he even believe Blu if he told them that Manolo may be working for Angel? "I'm so glad you all could come. Manolo will be so happy to see everyone." Rafael then stood on his claws to gain an extra bit of height so that he could peer over Blu's shoulder. He let out a small chuckle before continuing: "Well, that is whenever he decides to get his feathery butt over here."

Blu smiled at his best friend since arriving in Rio. Rafael looked so excited to see what the hookbill thought of the event that he didn't have the heart to burst his bubble. Besides, they didn't exactly have all the facts yet. Although the situation appeared bad enough to raise alarm for Blu and Jewel, the Spix's macaw knew Rafael wouldn't believe an accusation hurled against his buddy unless concrete proof could be presented. So, all Blu did in response was shrug his shoulders. "I'm sure he'll be here soon. He still has a while to get here. The party only started fifteen minutes ago. Like Pedro said, it's seagull hour right now."

While the rest of the males continued to talk to one another, Jewel decided to wave at the spoonbill who had yet to move from the bar to greet her and Blu. Kipo looked at Jewel out of the corner of his eye, but returned is attention to his drink without the slightest trace of a smile or a wave back. Stung by this ignorance, Jewel's cheeks began to heat up with humiliation. What could be his problem? Nico and Pedro threw this celebration in his honor too. Blu and Jewel flew all this way to come when they could be busy hiding the flower and watch in a more secure location from Angel. The least Kipo could do was show some manners and say hello.

Jewel decided to try again, this time shouting: "Hey, Kipo!" Her voice, though she felt a little irritated and rejected, came out happy and sincere, emotions she did still possess, just not as strong as they'd been minutes ago. "How are you? It's so good to see you tonight."

Kipo, however, just let out an annoyed sigh and rolled his eyes as if the very sight of Jewel sickened him. He grabbed the glass that sat on the polished oak surface of the bartop and swallowed the remaining clear liquid within. He winced at the burning sensation in the back of his throat from the alcohol and wiped his beak to clear it of any remaining droplets. Then, he got up from his stool. At least, he tried to. The moment, Kipo's large feet hit the concrete floor of the club, his legs went out from under him and he collapsed on the ground. He let out a growl of frustration and slammed his massive wing down onto the cold, damp stone. "Damn it!" he cursed in a loud voice.

Everyone rushed over to help Kipo up onto his talons, asking if he was okay as they walked over to him. However, Kipo spread his wings to prevent his friends from coming any closer to him. "Don't touch me!" he shouted. "Just leave me alone, please!" The group of birds stared at the spoonbill, slack-jawed. They'd never experienced this kind of attitude from Kipo before. He'd always been nothing but kind and carefree all the years they had known him. Perhaps, like many times since he returned from his tour of South America, the excessive amounts of alcohol he consumed could be assigned the blame.

Kipo looked from face to face which hovered above him at the moment. He could almost read their thoughts for they didn't conceal them well at all. It was obvious what they all pondered at that moment. They disapproved of his abusing of substances to cope with the pain of losing his girlfriend. What right did they have to judge him for his actions? Who did they think they were? Suddenly, Kipo couldn't stand to be around any of them for another second. He told them all when the idea of this bash was first brought up that he didn't approve of it and he no more did now then before. He curled his wings into angry fists and got up with as much steadiness as he could manage. Walking slow and careful, Kipo made his way across the expanse of the club and out the door.

The remaining birds watched the spoonbill leave, none of them knowing what to do or how to cheer him up. Rafael shook his head in despair. "Aye Carumba, what are we going to do with that bird?"

"I'll talk to him," Jewel suggested. Everyone turned their heads in her direction and stared at Jewel as if she'd grown an extra head. Jewel rolled her eyes, not sure why they all looked at her this way. The explanation seemed clear enough to her, but it looked like her friends and mate needed to hear it anyway. "He's still heartbroken over losing Ana, that isn't hard to miss. Well, I was thinking that maybe if he talked to someone who experienced the deaths of birds close to her as well, I could get him to level with me. Perhaps after a little time with him and a good cry, he'll be ready to party and stop drowning his sorrows in liquor. Too much of that stuff isn't healthy for anyone, depressed or not."

Rafael, Nico, and Pedro all nodded their heads, totally on board with Jewel's solution. Blu, however, looked worried for her. He reached for one of her light blue feathered wings and took it in his own. With his other wing, lu stroked the side of her face, not wanting her to leave his side even for a moment. "Are you sure, Jewel? I don't really feel comfortable with you walking out there at night. I think I should come with you. I'll just stand at a distance, what do you say?"

Jewel smiled at her husband but shook her head. "That's very sweet of you to offer, Blu, but I think Kipo will feel more relaxed and willing to open up to me if it's just he and I out there. Besides, he'll be with me and he's bigger and stronger than any of us. I'll be alright." She nudged Blu in the side with a wing playfully and grinned at him. "You're forgetting that this is the bird who needed to take care of herself in the big, bad rainforest all by her lonesome for years. I can handle twenty or so minutes outside the club."

Blu nodded his head, the concern still not having left his eyes all the way. However, he didn't want to argue anymore with Jewel. She proved to be a very stubborn bird at times. When she got like this, Blu knew it to be a waste of time to convince her to pursue another course of action than the one she set her mind on. "Okay, but if you need anything, don't hesitate to call. We'll be right here waiting if you need us."

Jewel winked at her mate, always touched by how protective he was of her, but she knew he didn't have to be. Nothing bad would happen to her. "I will, promise."

#

Jewel got smacked with a wave of heat the moment she stepped into the alley just outside of the club. She fanned herself with a wing as she looked up at the night sky for a second. It appeared pitch black, any light that could have been given off by the stars or the moon blocked by the thick covering of clouds overhead. Upon taking a few more paces further, Kipo's long, slender body came into view. The spoonbill sulked while sitting on a wooden crate, his back to Jewel. She sighed as she approached, hating that he felt so upset. He used to be so happy before Ana died, but maybe this conversation could begin the process of undoing the damage that Javier caused him. "Hey," she said causing Kipo to whirl around to face her.

The spoonbill leveled an icy glare at the macaw which caused Jewel to freeze in her tracks. His voice rang out in a cold sneer. "I thought I told you all to leave me alone. Go away, I don't want to talk to you."

Hurt, Jewel almost heeded his words and turned on her heel back into the club. However, she recalled that she once acted this way towards a certain other bird, her mate, Blu. He persevered in his attempts to break through the barriers Jewel built around herself for protection and in the process, transformed Jewel from a lonely, miserable bird to one who could be happy and live her best life. She planned to do the same thing with Kipo tonight, no matter how much he yelled at her. "Kipo, you don't really want that. You're just upset right now. Come on, talk to me. I know how you're feeling right now more than anyone else."

Something inside Kipo snapped at that moment and his face changed entirely. In the darkness, he looked like a bull about to charge after seeing the color, red. For the first time in a while, Jewel felt genuine fear for herself and she shrank back a few paces. However, now that she'd stirred the pot, Kipo didn't back down. "Don't you dare say that Jewel, don't you dare! You don't know the first thing about my feelings! You don't know what it's like to have the bird you loved more than anyone else shot like a dog right before your eyes. You don't know what it's like to have her bleed out in your wings and see her lifeless eyes stare back up at you. You're living a peaceful life with your mate, while I'm suffering, alone and miserable. So get out of my face and shut your goddamn mouth because you don't know the first thing about what it's like to experience any of that!"

That did it. Jewel forgot her promise to herself that she wouldn't lose her temper no matter how rude Kipo acted toward her. She felt compelled to defend her honor and show this jerk just how much of his problem he was creating. "You think you're the only one who's ever had to endure a little bit of pain, Kipo? Huh, do you? Well, I've got some news for you pal! You know the sick freak who murdered Ana? He also killed my mother! He bashed her head in right in front of my father when I was just a little girl, too young to take care of myself or even understand what was going on. And what did I do about it? I'll tell you what. I sucked it up and moved on with my life. What are you doing, Kipo? You're avoiding all your problems, drinking that crappy liquor. The reason you're alone is you're pushing everyone away. Why are all your friends here tonight? We're here for you, that's why! Maybe if you got your head out of your a-." Jewel paused before she could say anymore. She realized he was likely not even listening to anything she said. "You know what forget it. You're not even worth any more of my breath."

Jewel turned around and began to storm back into the club, trying not to let him see the tears coming down her face. Before she could get inside, however, she felt a large blunt object slam against the back of her skull. She let out an audible gasp before collapsing to the ground, unconscious. Kipo looked on at what he saw, horrified. His jaw hung open at the sight of the hookbill he'd met the other day standing over Jewel with a big rock in his wing, blood dripping from one of it gray, lumpy corners. "M-M-Manolo?" he stammered.

Manolo ignored the spoonbill and proceeded with his work. He discarded the rock and hefted Jewel's body over his shoulders, grunting as he did so due to the muscle required for such a task. He flapped his wings a few times, getting ready to take off with his victim in captivity. Kipo tried to lunge at the bird, but he could barely walk, he'd gotten so drunk. Not even a second later, the spoonbill fell face first on the ground, knocked out from all the alcohol.

Meanwhile, the hookbill let out a wicked cackle and eyed the Spix's macaw in his grasp. "Well, I must say, that proved easier than I expected. And here I thought that big buffoon might actually put up a decent fight." Manolo took a piece of paper stained with brown grime out of a ruffle of feathers and placed it under a wooden crate to prevent it from getting blown away by wind or soaked in the impending rainstorm. He didn't doubt that Blu and his friends would find it even though ti needed to be hidden. Once the Spix's macaw discovered his beloved wife missing, he'd tear this alleyway apart looking for clues to her disappearance.

"We'll meet again soon, Blu. Only this time with everything Angel and I need to complete the device which will grant us ultimate power and enable us to take over this pathetic region." Manolo cackled once more before taking to the sky with Jewel still in his wings, leaving Kipo's sleeping body behind on the dusty path below.


	9. 9 In Dark Times, Heroes Rise

**Chapter 9: In Dark Times, Heroes Rise**

Despite the horrible events which just transpired in the back alleys of Rio, the dreary, gray sky continued to hang above the buildings, unchanging as if nothing ever occurred. A deafening rumble of thunder roared from the thick mass of clouds and brought a sudden urge upon any residents, both human and animal, who happened to be outside to seek shelter from the imminent downpour. The strong clap didn't go unnoticed by the remaining birds inside Nico and Pedro's samba club.

The small, yellow canary stopped preparing the records he planned to play at the "Welcome Back" party that night and jerked his head to the left in the direction of the club's exit. His eyes grew as wide as saucers and the black, glossy record in his tiny wings began to tremble. Pedro, feeling a strange vibration under his talons, raised an eyebrow in confusion and then turned to see his best buddy shaking with fear, ready to have a panic attack. Without another moment's delay, the cardinal dropped the black-rubber covered plug which he'd been about to connect to a giant speaker to amplify the music, and placed a wing on Nico's back to calm him down. "Hey, don't worry man, it's just a little thunder. There's no reason to be scared!"

Nico turned his head to face the cardinal and frowned at him. He set the record he continued to hold on down on its needle and crossed his wings over his chest in protest. Pedro, not understanding why his friend looked to be in a bad mood, darted his eyes from the left wall of peeling white paint to the gorgeous, shiny wooden-oak bar. Nico, though he wouldn't admit it out loud did find thunderstorms frightening. He didn't appreciate it when his friends tried to comfort him as if his size made him fragile. "I know what it is Pedro, and I'm not scared."

Pedro just stared at the canary, an incredulous smirk on his face. He didn't buy this for a second and thought that if he didn't speak for long enough, Nico would become fed up and confess that Pedro was in the right. Nico, however, didn't hatch out of his egg yesterday. He knew the game the cardinal was playing, so he thought of an excuse right away. Lucky for him, Nico spotted Blu chilling on the edge of the raised, black and white checkered tile dance floor. The Spix's macaw sat with his legs hanging off the rim of the stage, his talons thumping against the wood-paneled side in a repetitive rhythm. This gave Nico the perfect lie to cover his tracks. In an innocent voice, he said: "I was looking out the door because Jewel is still out there talking with Kipo. I got worried that they were going to get soaked since the rain sounds pretty crazy close."

The cardinal, expecting nonsense to come out of the tiny bird's beak, opened his mouth to respond but clamped it shut when he realized Nico made a valid point. Now fearful thoughts started to run through Pedro's head. Blu would be angry with the two of them if they didn't alert him that his wife still stood out of the building, fair game for the cruel forces of nature. At last, he recovered his swagger and usual fun personality and winked at his friend, the argument about Nico's fears forgotten. Pedro waved a wing to motion that Nico should follow him and winked in the puzzled canary's direction. "Come on Nic, we have to tell Blu that Jewel didn't come back inside yet. He might know already considering how wack that thunder sounded, but on the other hand, maybe he'd been busy daydreaming about the great time they'd all soon enjoy and the noise eluded him.

Nico watched Pedro lift his talons off of the thin timber border of the diminutive enclosure where they spun the records during normal business hours in the club. The cardinal hovered just above Nico now, who nodded his head with approval towards the new mission Pedro just proposed. He joined Pedro in the air and snuck another peek at Blu.

The large, dark blue feathered Spix's macaw appeared to be keeping himself busy. Blu twiddled his wingtips and let out a bored sigh as he waited for his toucan friend to return from the bathroom. Blu scratched his head, also wondering what could be keeping Jewel. Thus far, this party did a poor job of being the thrilling bash he'd been promised. Not to mention, Manolo's being MIA didn't exactly bring much more comfort to the Spix's macaw. Blu shifted his head over his shoulder once more, peering down the darkened hallway which led out into the city. He expected the hookbill to jump out any second, brandishing a weapon of some sort and demanding Blu disclose the location of the flower and watch.

He shook his head, a sense of despair washing over him as he pondered the mess he somehow managed to get into since he arrived in Rio. For some reason, the falcon, Angel, wouldn't stop until he took over the entire city. Blu never understood the goals of such villains he often read about in fairy tales back in Linda's library. Why did there have to be a need for someone to always exercise power over others? Couldn't everyone just get along and treat each other like equals?

Blu jerked his head up at the sound of a loud bang coming from the corridor nearest the bar, his musings interrupted for the moment. From the small passage, Rafael made his way down the cracked cement floor, a big smile on his large, colorful bill as if he didn't have a care in the world. Blu attempted a smile as Rafael approached closer and closer, for he knew the bird would ask him what troubled Blu if he looked upset. However, Blu just couldn't bring himself to be happy right now. Too many things laid on the line to let his guard down and relax. If he'd told Rafael what he suspected about Manolo, Blu knew in his heart the toucan would agree with him.

Rafael let out a big breath and hopped up on the stage next to Blu. He shifted his bottom on the cold tile surface, attempting to get comfortable and used the chill all at the same time. Rafael nudged Blu who looked over, slower than the toucan anticipated. At once, Rafael could tell something was on Blu's mind. The Spix's macaw didn't exactly conceal his emotions very well, although, Rafael possessed a great advantage when it came to reading social cues. He may not have been an expert on most things, but when a friend needed someone to talk to, he was the bird for the job.

The toucan formed a concerned frown and nudged Blu in the side with his wing, hoping that might get him to loosen up before he fired his question. "Hey, amigo, you're looking a little blue." Rafael couldn't help but chuckle, realizing that wasn't the best way to phrase what he just said. "My mistake, I meant that you seem a bit upset. Is something on your mind?"

Blu shrugged his shoulders, as if he didn't know what to say. However, just a moment later, Blu sighed in dismay and then began to speak. Still unwilling to bring his best friend into any of the drama surrounding their lives, Blu opted for the minor issue which he wrestled with instead. "It's nothing big, Rafi. It's just.." he paused for a second to look towards the club's exit for about the fiftieth time since Jewel left through it. Turning back to Rafael, he continued: "Don't you think Jewel and Kipo have been out there a long time? I mean, I know he said he wanted to be alone and all, but if that was the case, why didn't Jewel come back inside? While you were in the bathroom, a really loud thunder clap rang out, and I'm worried they're gonna get soaked if they stay out much longer."

Rafael formed an unsure expression on his bill and he tapped it with one of his large, jet-black wings as he thought about what Blu said. The Spix's macaw did have a good point on why their prolonged absence could be deemed suspicious, but he doubted there was too much cause for alarm. The toucan smiled and patted his friend on the back, trying to reassure Blu he didn't have anything to fear. "I wouldn't get all worked up amigo. Perhaps, they just really got into talking about a certain topic. If it makes you feel better, we can go check on them right now together. You know, tell them that if they're really bonding to continue it inside where the storm won't be an issue."

Just then, Nico and Pedro reached the other two birds in the club and stopped to hover just above Rafael's head. Due to the quiet filling the cavernous building that evening, the duo overheard everything said between Blu and Rafael. Therefore, no one needed to bring them up to speed on what they missed. Nico tilted his head so that his bottle cap hat would fall onto one of his talons. He performed a couple of tricks with it, passing the small object from claw to claw while he talked: "I think that's a great idea, Rafi! Pedro and I can come with you guys too, just in case the spoonbill gets a little wily." Nico held two of his wingtips close together to minimize how much of a troublemaker Kipo might be when they got outside."

Pedro nodded his head with confidence, agreeing to be a part of the mini mission as well. "Yeah, you can count on us. We'll have them inside before the first drop even hits the ground."

Pleased that it wouldn't be long before Jewel would be safe in his eyesight once more, Blu's beak broke out in a huge grin. "Wonderful guys, thank you so much. You're all the best amigos a bird could ever have."

Pedro waved a wing to dismiss such a flattering gesture, but his cheeks turned a light shade of pink nonetheless. "Aw, there ain't nothing to it. Birds gotta stick together."

"Amen to that," piped Rafael. He then took a step across the water-damaged concrete, almost stubbing his talon against a wooden crate placed on the side of the dance floor. Motioning his wing towards the exit, Rafael grinned at his friends over his shoulder. "Come on men, let's go!"

#

When the four birds made it outside onto the dusty roadway which served as one of the city's many streets, Blu's heart seized with a cold dread in an instant. Moving his head from side to side, trying to let his eyes adjust to the total blackness of night, he could tell something horrible occurred. Neither Jewel nor KIpo appeared anywhere in sight. This frightened the other three smaller birds behind Blu as this realization washed over them as well.

Nico let out a piercing shriek as a blinding flash of white lightning lit up the sky. He jumped almost a foot in the air, causing everyone present to turn their heads towards him. When he recovered his breath and his pounding heart ceased its wild rhythm at last, the canary leveled an icy glare in the direction of his companions. Throwing his wings up in frustration, he shouted: "Don't stare at me! You guys are all afraid of something too; there's no need to judge."

Rafael opened his bill to respond with a denial that that was what he and the others had been doing when Pedro let out another surprised yell from behind him. He turned around just in the nick of time to see the cardinal flying towards him with the speed of a bullet. A terrified look upon his face made Rafael's own pulse begin to thump with extreme force. Pedro landed in front of the toucan, his talons kicking up a cloud of sandy dust as they slapped against the ground. Arching a confused brow, Rafael bent down to get closer to Pedro. "Aye Carumba amigo, what's wrong? You look like you just saw a ghost!"

Blu walked over to stand right beside the toucan. He too, bent over at the waist so that Pedro could hear him better. A look of hope mixed with severe anxiety blanketed his facial features. "Did you find them, Pedro? Do you know where Jewel is?"

Pedro tapped his wingtips together, not looking either bird in the eye. Rather, while he spoke, he addressed the endless sea of darkness behind his friends. "Well, I didn't find Jewel, but I found Kipo." An enthusiastic gasp escaped the beaks of every bird but Pedro, however, the cardinal cut them off before they could begin bubbling forth with any more happy emotions. "Now, now," he said while thrusting out his wings to command attention, "I found Kipo, but he doesn't look so good." Pedro pointed down the alleyway behind his back. "Come see for yourself. He's lying flat on the ground and has his eyes closed." The cardinal began to tremble, a look of genuine fear upon his beak. "I'm really scared that something terrible happened to him."

Blu and Rafael turned and looked at each other, their beaks gaping in shock. As they stood under the heavy clouds which blocked out any sliver of moonlight and threatened to empty their contents among the group of friends at any second, Blu's heart rate went into overdrive. If Kipo did indeed prove to be injured, he almost knew for certain who the attack could be attributed to. His greatest worry, though, was Jewel's whereabouts continued to be spoken for. If what he thought happened here happened, what did those monsters do to his wife and mother of their children? "Take us to him, Pedro. We must know what we missed while we were still inside. We have to know if he and Jewel are okay."

The cardinal didn't need to be told twice. He turned his back on the other three birds and began to stalk away, feeling the tiniest shred of pride at having had the opportunity to be the first one to know about the status of their other friends. "Follow me, guys," he commanded.

About thirty seconds later, another shock-filled gasp could be heard from the birds as their eyes locked upon a massive object sprawled out across the street, its body covered from head to toe in the pesky dirt which littered the road. They needn't look much longer to recognize that it was Kipo, his eyes closed and his chest barely moving. Blu rushed towards his friend and crouched down at his side, refusing to believe the worst, though, the thought never left the back of his mind.

He tapped a wing against one of Kipo's cheeks, hoping that the spoonbill would wake up once he felt the Spix's macaw's touch. A look of terror crossed Blu's face as he realized this didn't work. Nearby, Rafael stood with wings covering his mouth. Tears brewed just behind his eyes, waiting to fall forth should the worst news come from Blu on Kipo's condition. Blu picked up Kipo's head and held it close to his own, liquid beginning to dribble from his eyes without his consent. "Come on Kipo," Blu whispered, "you have to wake up."

The spoonbill let out a tiny, almost inaudible groan from his gigantic tan bill, but a groan nonetheless. The sound hit Blu's ears and his face lit up with relief as the bird opened his eyes, staring back at Blu. Kipo looked terrible even now, his eyes red and dry. He struggled to get a word out as well, as if his tongue proved to be made of a block of lead. At last, the spoonbill managed to say something, albeit very unclearly. "B-Blu? Is that you? Wha-what happened?"

Blu let out a halfhearted chuckle, grateful that his friend didn't die in his wings that night and looked to the others for their reactions. Huge smiles spread across their faces and they appeared ready to pounce on Kipo in one great big, group hug. It would have to wait for a moment, however, as Blu needed the spoonbill to answer one question, no matter how disoriented he still was. "I'm so glad that you're alright, Kipo. When you and Jewel didn't come back inside, we feared that you would get poured on by this storm." Blu chanced a glance at the night sky as he said this, for it reminded him that they were all on a time crunch here if they hoped to keep dry. "When we came outside to alert you, however, we found you lying on the ground, unconscious. The reason why, we don't know. What I did hope you knew is where we can find Jewel. I don't see her anywhere, but I know she must be close by."

Upon hearing Jewel's name from Blu, Kipo's heart froze in his chest. The memories of what occurred before he collapsed hit him with all the force of an oncoming train barreling down the tracks at full speed. His breath caught in his throat for a few seconds, causing Blu's face to turn gray with panic once more. Before the Spix's macaw could yell out in concern, however, Kipo recovered and began to shout himself. "Oh my God, Manolo, Manolo took her!"

Now if any part of Blu remained calm, that changed at that very second. The dark world in front of Blu's eyes tilted as if a giant being picked it up and turned it to its side. Blu wobbled back a few paces, unable to control his steps. He fought his spinning mind for control. Blu could not lose it now; his worst fears did indeed come true. Jewel would want him to keep a clear head so that the problem could be resolved. After a few deep breaths to regain balance in his body, the universe settled out once again. However, Blu didn't exactly take comfort in the terrified, shocked expressions of the other three birds behind Kipo.

The questions came pouring forth from Rafael's mouth first like endless waves of salty ocean water upon the beaches of Rio. He kept blinking his eyes as if someone shone a bright light in front of them, for he just couldn't wrap his mind around what he heard. Rafael shook his head, refusing to believe Kipo's words. "No," he insisted, "you have to be mistaken, Kipo. Why would Manolo do such a thing? He's one of the kindest birds I've ever met. I've known him since I was a little chick; there's no way he could do something so cruel as to kidnap a bird. He's been nothing but friendly to us since the day he arrived back in town."

Kipo stood slack-jawed at the words Rafael just fired at him. He could not believe that the toucan doubted him. Why would he lie? Did Rafael plan to believe a practical stranger over the bird he'd hung out with for years? Beneath his coat of rose and white feathers, Kipo's blood began to boil the way a pot of water does over a hot burner. His brain, soaked with alcohol became dried with the steam emanating from his anger. Kipo curled his wings into fists and prepared to get in Rafael's face when Blu stuck a wing out to stop his advance.

"No," Blu shouted, turning everyone's attention to the Spix's macaw. A look of pain filled Blu's eyes as if what he needed to say crushed his very soul. He appeared to be in much debate with himself considering whether or not he should let them in on what knowledge he possessed. "Rafael, there is something you need to hear that I didn't tell you yet."

The toucan crossed his large wings over his chest, an impatient glare covering his bill. "Go on, Blu."

Blu let out a heavy sigh and began to fill him in. "Last night when I went to show Manolo around the Blu Bird Sanctuary, we stopped at Linda and Tulio's house. Our reason for going there was to let Tulio know that another bird would be taking up residence on the Sanctuary grounds. While we were inside, Manolo attempted to enter a closet in the house and I prevented him from doing so. I didn't tell him why, but I wouldn't let him in because that's where Jewel and I hid the flower and watch Angel needs to complete his plans. Then, this morning, I went to Linda's house to get new batteries for Carla's MP3, and Linda mentioned exiting the bathroom in the middle of the night and finding a bird on her closet door. Now, I don't know about you but I find that to be more than a coincidence."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Pedro interjected. "Are you saying that you think he's been working for Angel this whole time, just like Ana was playing us?"

Blu nodded his head, happy that at least one of them caught on to what he told them. "Yes, I think he suspected that since I didn't want him to look inside the closet the items could be found there. Then, he flew back there later that night to investigate. However, Linda appearing at that moment foiled his plans, and this morning I confirmed that he didn't obtain the flower and watch. Right now, they're in my tree hollow. Jewel and I planned to hide them in a safer location once this party ended." Blu began to shake now, the reality that the love of his life had gone missing crashing like a tidal wave over his soul once more. "But now," he cried, sobs choking his voice, "Manolo's gone and kidnapped her. He must want the items in exchange for Jewel. I just know it!"

Rafael looked down to the ground, still shaking his head. He didn't say a word right away for he couldn't decide between continuing to defend his old amigo or allowing the wealth of evidence to make sense in his mind. As hard as it would prove to be, the toucan couldn't deny one suspicious fact which added to the damnation of Manolo. The hookbill showed up out of the blue after years of living in a foreign nation right when they were all dealing with this whole Angel mess. Plus, Rafael didn't know Manolo all the time he resided in Mexico City. No one knew what kind of activities the hookbill took part in during that time. For all Rafael knew, Manolo was a vicious serial killer, just as insane as Angel if he could manipulate an old acquaintance like that.

The toucan couldn't let his emotions toward his friend cloud his judgment any longer. He needed to face the reality that the hookbill duped him, and this betrayal stung his heart. It wrapped around his neck like a hungry snake who aimed to choke the life out of its unlucky victim before devouring it whole. "You're right, Blu. I can't believe it, but you're right. Ai-yi-yi, it seems like everytime we meet a new friend they're only out to get us." He chuckled, seeing an opportunity to bring a small bit of levity to the devastating situation. "Maybe we should start turning away anybody who wants to hang out with us at the samba club."

Blu would have laughed, but the circumstances proved to be much too dire for even the shortest giggle. Something still didn't make sense to him, though. Kipo knew that Manolo captured Jewel, which meant he saw the act unfold, yet they found the spoonbill unconscious on the ground. What happened in between those two moments? Blu turned to Kipo who continued to sit on the dusty pavement, his wings curled around his knees like a stereotypical mental patient in an asylum. He looked as if the emotions inside his brain drove him mad. Nevertheless, Blu's concern for his mate's well-being trumped any regards he had for his friend's current shocked state. He bent down near Kipo and began to speak into his ear. "Kipo, what happened to you out here? Did Manolo knock you out or something? It doesn't look like there's any blood on the road which would have been the case if this indeed happened, so what did occur?"

For several minutes, Kipo just sat in total silence, rocking back and forth on his bottom. He stared off into the void of darkness until a single raindrop plopped onto his forehead, followed by a flash of lightning and an earth-shaking bang of thunder. A mere second later, a torrential downpour began as the clouds relieved themselves of their load at last, drenching the birds still in the street.

Rafael covered his head with his wings ina futile attempt to stay dry. His black feathers shone with the slick texture of water as buckets of the liquid showered upon him with no sign of stopping. Under his breath, he let out a string of curses before looking up though the blinding rain at his spoonbill friend. Glaring at the bird, he shouted over the deafening noises of the storm. "Come on Kipo, open your bill already! I want to go inside!"

Realizing he could stay quiet about his misdeeds no longer, Kipo closed his eyes and braced himself for the crucifixion he knew he would endure at the wings of his friends. In a low tone that no one would have heard if Blu hadn't been standing so close to Kipo the spoonbill could feel him breathing down his neck, Kipo admitted his mistake. "I passed out because I drank so much alcohol. He took Jewel, and I was too intoxicated to do anything to stop him."

Nico and Pedro looked at each other, each bird so anxious they looked ready to faint at any moment. They then averted their gaze to Blu who, even through the spattering raindrops, they could tell curled his wings into tight fists of rage. The four birds could hear the heavy breaths the Spix's macaw took as he fought to control his growing anger. However, he couldn't hold back any longer. One thought repeated over and over in his mind as he began to see red. _Jewel might die… and it's all. His. fault._

Letting out a savage growl that no one would have ever imagined a sweet, soft-spoken bird like Blu could be capable of producing, Blu lunged at Kipo and struck him a vicious blow right across the face. Not expecting such a brutal attack, Kipo didn't even have a chance to defend himself and took the punch with full force. Blood began to flow out of a gash along Kipo's forehead, but Blu didn't stop there. He continued to beat the spoonbill, punching and kicking him liek a wild animal. He didn't even register the cries and yells of his friends for him to stop and get off of Kipo. He only thought of one thing, the pain Jewel could be in right now, the pain he felt from being separated from her. He wanted Kipo to feel this same pain, and he didn't care if he murdered the spoonbill right there in the street.

Rafael began to grow panicked. Despite his best efforts, Blu appeared to possess some kind of superhuman strength at that moment. He jerked his head around wildly, squinting through the rain for something with which he could subdue Blu. Relief came upon him as he noticed a spare wooden crate lying out in the rain. With all the speed he could muster, Rafael ran toward it, slipping and falling once on the slick, muddy roadway. Though now covered from head to toe in dark brown, goopy muck, the toucan would not let one of his friends die today, even if Blu had every reason to be angry with Kipo. This was not the Blu they all knew. This Blu wasn't thinking clearly.

At last, the toucan reached the crate. Hefting the heavy object up into his wings, he hurled it right at Blu. The massive item collided with Blu's chest, knocking him backwards into the muddy puddles, causing a wave of water to splash up into the air, soaking the birds nearby. Blu sat up, several small cuts now across his stomach from the splintering wood. He turned his head to acknowledge who stopped his assault and his eyes locked onto the toucan. Blu pointed an accusing wingtip at the bird, and his voice bellowed out in a deep, threatening tone Rafael never heard from Blu before. "How dare you!"

Blu then moved his wing in the direction of Kipo, whose face was now covered in blood. Each time the rain washed away the thick, red, salty substance, more poured from his many cuts, filling his mouth with a horrid, metallic taste. Pedro and Nico recoiled at the sight of their friend, upon whose face and body now lay giant purple and green bruises the size of goose eggs. They couldn't believe Blu would commit such an act of violence. Never in their life would they think him capable of such a thing.

The Spix's macaw continued his rant. "This is all his fault! Do you hear me? ALL HIS FAULT! Had he not been drowning his sorrows in that alcohol, he would have been on top of his game. He could have prevented Manolo from running off with Jewel. Kipo is twice his size! He could have easily done exactly what I just did." Now, Blu marched right up close to the spoonbill and got right up into his face. Blu's angry beak lay so near Kipo's bill, the spoonbill could smell the minty undertones of Blu's breath, no doubt caused by the toothpaste he brushed his beak with each morning. "You're a terrible, selfish bird. I hope you're happy because you got your wish. Now, you're not the only one suffering the loss of their love. As long as Jewel is in the wings of those bloodthirsty killers, her life is in danger. She could be dead right now for all I know and it's ALL YOUR FAULT!"

Kipo just trembled with fear, tears pouring down his face, although, one could not tell due to the hurricane of rainwater which blasted them from above. He couldn't bring himself to say anything to Blu, for deep down in his soul Kipo knew he was to blame. Every word Blu spoke rang with truth. He was a horrible, evil, selfish bird, no better than the villainous falcon who sought to enslave them all under tyranny.

Blu took a step back now and slapped Rafael's wing away, the toucan having approached him and now attempted to reason with him. Rafael cringed, feeling the sting of Blu's assault on his feathers, but this did not deter him from continuing to speak. "Now, Blu, I know you're upset, but you're directing your anger towards the wrong bird. Kipo may not have done all he could to save Jewel, but even if he did fight Manolo, there is no guarantee he wouldn't have succeeded in his plot anyway. Our time would be better spent working on some sort of plan to save her than butting heads with each other."

"HEY!" shouted a small voice from behind, diverting everyone's attention to the source of the sound. It turned out to be none other than Nico, who flew a few inches off the ground, a sopping wet piece of notebook paper in his wing. He began to make his way back to the rest of them, calling as he went: "I found something! I found something!"

Without wasting a second, Blu snatched the object out of the canary's wing. His chocolate brown eyes narrowed as he did his best to make out the distorted words upon the paper, which was moments away from melting in his wing thanks to the inordinate amount of water it absorbed. After a few minutes, Blu let the paper fall to the ground, a tear escaping from his eye. Noting his crestfallen look, Rafael begged for Blu to share what he learned with them. "What? What is it?"

Blu continued to sob, big, fat teardrops sliding down his cheeks before mixing in with the near foot of mud which covered the ground below. When he spoke at last, his voice could hardly be understood. "I-it s-says that I-I need to br-bring the f-f-flower and watch to his l-l-lair, or my precious maiden will d-d-d-d-ie at dawn."

Pedro couldn't help but scoff at the overly dramatic tone Angel chose to word his ransom note in. "Gee, how poetic," he said in a bitter, sarcastic voice.

Blu continued to tremble with anger, fear, and sadness. Rafael wrapped him into a tight hug, tears starting to fall from his eyes as well. This day would go down in the history of their lives as the lowest any of them yet experienced. Blu buried his feathery face in the crook of Rafael's neck, feeling as if his very heart had been snapped in half. Without Jewel, he could not go on. She meant everything to him. She'd awoken his heart to the samba which Rafael always spoke of. Without her, he might as well be dead. "Oh Jewel, my sweet, precious, Jewel. I miss you, and I'll do anything to save you."

Kipo could not stand by and say nothing any longer. Seeing Blu so tortured made him become wracked with a guilt the spoonbill never knew before. The crushing weight of his regret and sorrow suffocated him, making him feel as if he could never redeem himself. In a meek voice, he gathered up enough courage to squeak out: "Blu, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

The Spix's macaw didn't even turn around to look at Kipo, though he heard what he said loud and clear. Blu just shook his head and addressed his former friend in an emotionless tone. "We're not friends anymore, Kipo. I never want to see you again. Leave, get out of my sight."

Kipo's jaw dropped as Blu's words pierced his heart like a thousand tiny daggers. Those three sentences hurt worse than any of the fists Blu threw at him minutes earlier. Rafael. Nico, and Pedro likewise stared at Blu in disbelief of his callousness. "Blu," Pedro said, "you can't really mean that."

The spoonbill crawled towards Blu and grabbed onto his talons, forcing Blu to turn around. His look so disgusted, Kipo withered under the glare. Tears streamed down his face as he begged Blu to reconsider. "Please, Blu, I am sorry. I'll do anything to make it up to you, I promise. I will help you get Jewel back, I-"

"NO!" Blu screamed, causing everyone around him to jump a foot in the air. "I already told you! Leave Kipo, we are no longer friends! We're done! GO!"

Kipo bowed his head in shame and took to the sky, a fork of lightning splitting the darkness as he went, illuminating his path for a full ten seconds before the brightness cleared. Rafael turned towards Blu and prepared to say something, but Blu raised a wing in front of his bill to cut him off. "Don't say a word, Rafael. If you want to remain my friend, you'll take my side on this one. The kids are at your house with Eva, and I need you to inform her of what's happened. They need to stay with her while I go back to my tree and fetch the flower and watch. I'm tired of this cat and mouse game. He's won and I need to admit that."

"Blu," Nico said, "you can't give him that stuff. He'll take over Rio!"

"I have no choice!" Blu shouted, his voice aching with a fiery, burning pain from all the screaming he'd done tonight. "He has Jewel. I'll never let any harm come to her. I don't know what else to do."

"Let us help you," Rafael suggested. Blu turned to look his toucan friend in the eye. Rafael smiled at Blu, looking like he'd never been more sure of what he was about to say in his whole life. "If we all go with you to this lair together, perhaps we'll stand a chance against the two of them. We can end this Blu and save Jewel. Nobody needs to get hurt."

Blu shook his head. "I can't let you guys put yourselves in danger like that for me. He has my wife which makes this my fight. You all don't have anything to do with this. I couldn't live with myself should something happen to you three."

"Blu, you're forgetting something," reminded Pedro. "Thus lunatic wants to rule our city, the city we love and cherish more than anything. That does make this our fight, and we'll do whatever it takes to protect Rio."

"Even if it means dying for it," Nico said while nodding his head in agreement with his best friend.

Rafael smiled at Blu who looked up at him with tired, miserable eyes. He looked to be but a former shell of his lively, happy personality. The fight against these cruel, heartless villains had beaten him down little by little and now they had the one bird he loved most. The toucan placed a wing on Blu's and held it there. "I'm your best amigo, Blu. I will never let these bullies hurt you like this. We'll get Jewel back, elimiante this threat, and then we're all going to have the time of our lives at the club, okay?"

Blu laughed incredulously but smiled all the same. Tears came to his eyes once more but for an entirely different reason. He looked from the toucan, to the small yellow canary, to the red-crested cardinal whom he'd met when he first came to Rio. He'd been so lucky that day. No other birds could have made a bigger impact on his life than these three. "Thank you all so much for everything. Before I came to Rio, I had nobody who really cared about me the way you all do. You three are the kindest, most selfless birds I have ever met. It is an honor to be called your friend."

Nico and Pedro nodded their heads and placed their wings atop Blu and Rafael's. "It's been a pleasure, Blu," the canary spoke. "Just know that, should we not make it out tonight, it's been one hell of a ride. We've had our ups and more than our fair share of downs, but I wouldn't change anything about it."

Pedro chuckled and nudged his canary friend playfully in the side. "What kind of attitude is that, Nic?" he scolded. "We're the Realest Heroes in Rio! We beat Nigel and Javier already. This hookbill and falcon don't stand a chance. Now, who's ready to throw down?!"

"WE ARE!" cheered all four birds in unison. As the rain continued to pour down upon the buildings and wildlife surrounding the city, the group of friends took off into the sky, heading to save their female companion, just as they did nearly two years ago when Jewel found herself ensnared by a certain, unhinged cockatoo.


	10. 10 Your Life's Not A Fanfic, Don't End I

**Chapter 10: Your Life's Not A Fanfic, Don't End It**

The terrifying night sky showed no signs of letting up in its relentless assault on the inhabitants of Rio de Janeiro. Waves of rainwater smashed against the concrete and brick exteriors of buildings, and golden colored lightning bolts zigzagged across the region, lighting up the darkness with their powerful electric currents. The four birds flying from one side of the own to the other were in no way daunted by this display. For they all knew that if they failed in their mission, the city of Rio would have much more to worry about than a simple rainstorm.

Blu led the way for the rest of his friends, squinting his eyes so narrowly that he began to feel the pulsing waves of pain that accompanied the start of a migraine. He snuck a glance at the streets below him, wondering if the four of them weren't the only ones foolish enough to be caught out in such weather. Sure enough, Blu didn't see a soul on the roads. Not one car whizzed by on the asphalt paths typically littered with traffic at this time of night. People returning from work, going out for a night out on the town, nobody could be seen anywhere.

Despite knowing that three of his closest friends in the world flapped their wings just inches behind him, this observation only served to further increase the crushing sense of loneliness which settled on Blu's soul. He blinked his eyes to free a solitary teardrop into the mass of water that surrounded him like a curtain. For a second, he wasn't really sure if he cried at all or if he just got the infernal drops in his eyes. Blu didn't need to cry to know that he'd pretty much arrived at the end of his rope, however. Every second Jewel rested in the clutches of those villains, Blu couldn't relax.

He shook his head, wishing more than anything that he could hold her in his wings at that very moment. All he wanted was to feel the softness of her feathers, kiss the razor sharp tip of her beak. He just wanted to know that she would be safe and that he would get another chance to hear her sweet voice, the one that made him feel complete inside.

Blu's sorrow didn't go unnoticed to his friends behind him. The three birds, usually party animals without a care in the world, feared deeply for their amigo. Even though they could only see the back of his body, his feathers so soaked with rain they appeared black, they could almost feel the swaths of depression rolling off of him. They slapped the trio with every flap of Blu's wings, making them feel more anxious and hopeless each time.

Rafael never experienced such worry before. Even when the smugglers captured him and locked him in a cage on that plane like a worthless animal, he held onto hope knowing that Blu might come and save the day. Sure the Spix's macaw got caught as well for a couple minutes, but he still developed a genius plan that set them free by morning.

Now, however, Rafael grew concerned with Blu's state of mind. When they first left the samba club earlier that night, Blu radiated only confidence. He seemed unshakable in his game plan to retrieve the flower and watch from his tree, approach Angel with the items while the rest of them snuck in and attacked, overwhelm the evil birds and then liberate Jewel. But since then, the gravity of the situation they were heading into appeared to be knocking into Blu with full force. Rafael spent enough time with Blu in the last two years to know when the Spix's macaw doubted himself. He only wished he could do something to make his buddy feel better.

Pedro turned his head to the toucan as if reading his thoughts and shook his head to wash off some of the rain which dripped into his mouth as he spoke. "Ugh, this weather is so uncool. I mean, I know horror movies and all show a storm right before the bad guys strike, but this is real life. I don't need this right now!" He then averted his gaze to Blu, a frown weighing down the sides of his beak. "We gotta do something Rafi. I think the second we land, we try to make him feel better."

Rafael nodded his head, though inside he didn't know what to do. A massive bolt of lightning shot through the thick cover of clouds, illuminating the approaching palm trees and other plants which provided shelter to the animal inhabitants of Rio. Soon the four would arrive at the next location where they would continue their mission to save the world. Could the toucan think of something to restore the confidence in Blu in time before they needed to go in guns ablazing into Angel's lair?

Nico shuddered at the many deafening crashes and growls from above. He shook so hard both from fear and the bone-chilling cold rain that he kept having to readjust the tiny bottle cap which acted as his signature headgear. "I keep telling myself that if I think this is bad to just wait until I have to look into the beady eyes of that falcon. Then, I think Imma be wetting my feathers."

For the first time in a while, Pedro found something to laugh about. He flew in closer to his best friend and bumped into his side. Winking at him, he said: "Well, at least no one would notice. It'd just blend right in with those yellow feathers of yours."

Rafael grinned at this lighthearted exchange but soon found himself distracted once again by Blu's stony silence. His face again lined with sorrow as he wished that the Spix's macaw would fly alongside them. They could talk to each other and help him take his mind off of their troubles. Why when things got tough did he always insist on shutting himself out and dealing with things alone? Hadn't he learned by this point that they worked better each time as a team? The toucan understood that Blu missed his mate but harping on that wouldn't bring Jewel back to him. The least he could do was try to make the best of a terrible situation.

The toucan looked down below him and saw that the four now crossed the threshold into the Amazon rainforest. Due to the incredible darkness which overwhelmed the entire landscape, Rafael could make out almost none of the vegetation that existed beneath him. It all just appeared to be a barren wasteland that went down forever into the depths of a bottomless pit. The toucan whistled at the sight, drawing the attention of his two companions to him. "Aye Carumba. I sure hope that no one is still away from their homes right now besides us. They would likely not even be able to find their tree!"

This made Pedro think of something and his eyes widened with alarm. Whipping his head to the side to face Rafael, he asked: "Do you think we'll be able to find Blu's tree? I mean, they all look the same and it is so dark." Pedro squinted his eyes and then, growling in frustration, opened them up to their full width once more. "This is so annoying! I can't freaking see anything! That damn falcon couldn't have just said we had until tomorrow night. He's waited this long for these stupid things, what's twenty four more hours? How the hell does he expect us to work under these conditions?"

Nico placed one of his wings on Pedro's back for a second or two so that he didn't plummet to his death and gave a reassuring smile to the cardinal. "Bro, you have to calm down. I'm sure that Blu knows where he's going. He knows this section of the jungle better than any of us. We just gotta let him do his thing. And, I know these circumstances are far from ideal, but we just gotta roll with it, bird. Heroes can kick butt in all kinds of situations, am I right?"

Pedro nodded his head and smirked at the canary. He knew that Nico had a really good point but still didn't like getting soaked in the dark when he should be breaking down to a good beat in the club right now. "I'll be straight with you though Nic, it'd make me feel more right if Blu told us for sure that we ain't lost."

Rafael blew a big breath out of his orange and black bill, the bright color sticking out amongst the dark backdrop like a beacon guiding their way. He could practically sense the two birds' gazes burning into the back of his head as if fiery hot laser beams shot out of their eyes. Of course they would want him to ask Blu their questions. Out of everyone present, Blu would respond to Rafael with the greatest degree of kindness and give the most information to him. It was common knowledge to them that Blu thought of Rafael as the father he never knew. Blu always sought the toucan for advice about love when he didn't know the best way to go about pleasing Jewel. Now would be the time to reciprocate and Rafael could use that to his advantage.

He nodded his head and addressed the two in a reluctant tone one might use when they felt forced to do something they didn't want to. "Alright, I'll ask him. Just stop staring a hole through my feathers."

Nico let out a chuckle and with his face pointed up to the sky rather than looking forward. He caught a few of the raindrops in his open beak and then moved his body back into his normal flying position. "Much appreciated big fella. You know how the blue boy can get in times like this. It's always me and Pedro that get snapped at when one of the lovebirds are in a mood. I ain't sticking my neck out for it to get bitten off, you catch my drift?"

Rafael rolled his eyes yet smiled at the canary. He did in fact catch Nico's drift as he so worded it. He paid witness to more than one time in the past where Blu and Jewel felt nervous about a certain thing, Nico or Pedro tried to comfort them and only got screamed at for their efforts to be kind. In all honesty, Rafael didn't blame them for their putting him up to the task. He just hoped that he wouldn't suffer the same fate they often did in their place.

The toucan increased the speed at which he flapped his wings so that he would fly right alongside the Spix's macaw. Blu turned his head to the right, noticing that Rafael now flew next to him. His expression soured and Blu faced forward one more time with an annoyed sigh. That didn't deter Rafael, however, he knew that Blu was just playing hard to get. If he kept trying, he felt sure that he could get the macaw to not only answer his question but open up about his fears. He swayed to the left to bump into Blu's side on purpose. The Spix's macaw let out an angry growl and whipped his head to the side to level an icy glare at Rafael. For a moment, the toucan became taken aback and his heart skipped a beat with the tiniest bit of fear. He never saw such a look in the bird's eyes before, except for when he beat Kipo to a pulp earlier that evening.

Blu's jaw crunched together, his beak grinding with fury at having his thoughts interrupted. He wanted to let the toucan know in no uncertain terms that he didn't want to be bothered at the moment. "Rafael, can I please have some space right now? I kind of have a lot on my mind and just want to be left alone."

Rafael smiled at his friend but did not back up at all like he asked. "I understand that amigo, but we are all very worried about you. Nico and Pedro fear that we might not be heading the right way. It is very dark, I can hardly see two wingtips in front of my face. Are we sure that you know where we are going?"

Blu rolled his eyes and scoffed at the bird. Rafael did have to admit that ruffled his feathers the smallest bit. He hated it when Blu acted like he knew more than the rest of them just because of his past growing up in a bookstore. However, he tried to remind himself that Blu was going through a hard time right now. Rafael just needed to put himself in Blu's shoes and try to excuse his rudeness at the moment. Blu began to speak in a low tone that dripped with condescension which only continued to test Rafael's patience. He also wouldn't give the toucan the dignity of looking at him while he talked. "Yes, Rafi, I do live around here. I should know where I am going. Tell them that if they're that concerned they can turn around and go home. I don't need any of you slowing me down if you can't stomach what's going to come ahead."

Rafael stopped in mid flight and landed on the top of a tall palm tree just below the four birds. Blu paused in the sky as well and arched his neck downwards to look at the defiant bird who now stared up at him with his wings crossed over his chest. Blu rolled his eyes once more, tired of this. He zoomed down to the palm tree like a bullet and curled his wings into fists. White-hot rage lit up his eyes yet Rafael stood by unfazed. He waited for Blu to begin his rant. He would just sit there and take it.

Sure enough, Blu started to speak, completely unaware of the two smaller birds now flying right behind him, quaking with fear in the still driving rain. Blu pointed an accusing wing at the toucan and snapped: "See, this is exactly what I mean! Why can't you all just follow me and keep quiet? You insist on making it harder for me to get Jewel back! She could be hurt right now, and instead of getting closer to saving her I have to deal with this."

Rafael bowed his head to the ground and shook it in disapproval. "Blu, I know you're mad at Angel and Manolo, but taking it out on all your friends isn't right. You're treating us all like crap when we're only trying to help. If we go home right now, I can tell you you'll regret it. You can't handle those two by yourself. They'll betray you and kill Jewel right before your eyes. You cannot trust them; you need us."

Blu opened his beak to speak again but snapped it shut. He knew that even despite all his anger, Rafael was right. He wanted to punch someone and kick and yell at them, but the two birds he needed to vent against weren't there. So instead, he treated his friends like punching bags and that wasn't right. If he didn't shape up sooner or later, they would abandon him and worse, what would separate him from becoming just as bad as the villains he needed to fight against?

Blu felt a tear slide down his cheek. He knew for sure it wasn't just the rain this time because the temperature of the liquid felt higher than the raindrops which pelted him to the point that he didn't even notice them anymore. He let out a sigh and moved closer to Rafael, allowing the toucan to pull him into a comforting hug. Rafael smiled, knowing that he'd succeeded in breaking down the barrier Blu constructed around himself since the news of Jewel's kidnapping reached their ears. Things would only go uphill from here; he just knew it. Rafael winked behind Blu's shoulder at Nico and Pedro who each gave him a thumbs up and an excited grin.

Rafael let Blu go so that the Spix's macaw could address him once more. Shame and regret lined Blu's facial features. At that moment, the toucan felt sharp emotions like that of a dagger pierce his heart. Blu looked as if in the span of an hour he had aged ten years. Wrinkles from stress lined his face and deep bags from sleeplessness rested under his eyes. His drenched feathers weighed him down, though, Rafael could tell that this weight carried through to the inside as well. Until Blu got Jewel back, he would never recover from this terrible pain.

Blu wiped his eyes with his wings, only for his face to become sopping wet all over again. He shivered from the unbearable cold which surged through his blood. His beak chattered like it used to when the weather in Minnesota was particularly bitter. Blu shook his head, moving his wings up and down over his chest to try to conserve some warmth. "I'm so sorry, Rafael. I am scared and angry but that is no excuse. I've been horrible to you when you've only done everything you can to assist me. YOu could be at home with Eva right now. Instead you're out here in the pouring rain in the middle of the night, risking your life to save a bird who you don't share any deep connection to. I am so, so sorry. I do hope you can forgive me."

Rafael nodded his head with a big smile on his bill. "Of course I can, Blu. You are my best amigo and have been since we first met in the jungle. I know you're scared and I am too. If that Angel completes his plans, my family will be in danger as well. In fact, the whole fate of the city rests in our wings. It is indeed very overwhelming, but we can't let it get to us. We have to stay strong and keep our heads up. This is exactly what Angel wants is for us to eb at each other's throats. When we are, we are weak. He knows that together we stand as a formidable threat to his evil. If we remain strong, they will fall, I have full faith in that, Blu."

Blu nodded his head in agreement and formed a frown with his beak. "I know that now, Rafael. I just feel so horrible and stupid for falling right into his trap like that. God, what's wrong with me? I'm no leader. I don't have what it takes to get through this or stop him. I need you guys; you guys are the only ones that are thinking clearly. If I'm being honest, no, I don't know if we're going the right way. It's too dark and I can't see and I'm honestly ready to give up!"

The Spix's macaw covered his face with his wings, letting the tears fall freely now. He just wanted to curl up into a ball and hide, forget everything that happened that evening. But he couldn't. If something happened to JEwel, he would never forgive himself. Blu just wished all his troubles would vanish like that. Nothing at all seemed to be working. The situation proved time and time again to be hopeless.

Pedro flew forward and patted Blu on the back. "Hey, hey now homie, don't talk like that. We'll figure it out, don't worry. I'm sure there's some landmark around here that'll help us figure out our way. We'll get to your tree, save Jewel, and tomorrow we're gonna go to the club and I'm going to pour a stiff one for each of us, how does that sound?"

Blu removed the wings from over his eyes and chuckled. "That sounds pretty great to me." He let out a big sigh, feeling as if his beak no longer knew how to smile. He looked from bird to bird, resolve setting into his eyes once more. "We'd better get moving. Any time we waste sitting here is time that we could have used figuring our way back to my home." Blu jumped off of the tree and began flapping his wings to keep himself in the air. He motioned with his head for them to follow. "Come on, I have an idea. Whenever my kids play soccer they always use two trees with a large vine connecting them as a goal. It's right next to my house and in all my time traveling through this jungle, I've never seen anything else similar to it. It should not be that hard to see; if we find it, we'll reach my house in no time."

The three other birds nodded their heads, signaling that they agreed to every part of Blu's plan. They didn't say it aloud, not wanting to waste anymore time but inside they all rejoiced at the sight that a little bit of Blu's spirit awoke once more. Rather than sulking and wishing things would be different, he now had the determination to make that happen all on his own. A flash of lightning lit up the sky once more, as if to show that in these dark times a ray of light could be seen at last.

#

On the other side of Rio, however, something far darker would occur than anything that transpired among the four would-be heroes moments before. Atop a great mountain stood the Christ the Redeemer statue, overlooking the valley of buildings below. Approaching its base, Kipo looked up at the statue with disgust and spit on the concrete steps in front of him. The saliva mingled with the deep puddles of rain, almost as if he never performed the action in the first place. He pointed an accusing wing at the monument and condemned it in a venomous hiss. "I'll never understand why humans put their faith in gods like you, bowing down and worshipping them, thinking that you care about them and protect them. If you did, nothing like this would ever happen! My girlfriend would still be alive, I would still be happy, evil wouldn't be lurking behind every corner. You don't care! No one does! We're all alone in this miserable world until we die!"

Kipo turned on his large webbed feet and stormed over to a tree on the other side of the small clearing in front of the statue. As he approached it, his steps grew slower and quieter. Tears came to his eyes and began to fall in big, fat drops upon the filthy muddy ground beneath him. He knelt down before the small collection of items underneath the tree's protective branches and placed one of his wings upon them. The spoonbill picked up an elastic sweatband, formerly pink but now covered with mud, and kissed it.

He brushed his wing over the cases of CD's, their titles no longer recognizable, yet Kipo knew exactly what songs each disc contained. Ana would listen to them each morning during her exercises, one of the biggest pleasures she got out of life. She loved being alone to contemplate the day, thinking about how far she'd come since the pain she suffered throughout her life.

Kipo formed a sad smile, thinking about happier times long gone by. With every glance at the grave of his lost loved one, his heart gave a tortured squeeze. He missed her terribly. What he would give to be able to hold her in his wings again and make all that pain go away. They had such big plans for their future and Javier in all his cruelty and sadism took that away. Kipo could no longer hold back his tears. They flowed forth, soaking everything underneath him that the rain hadn't already.

He sat and cried for what seemed like forever until at last he wiped his eyes and smiled at the grave once more. He began to speak to it, his voice coming out in an almost incomprehensible whisper. Had anyone actually been able to hear him, they would have demanded that Kipo speak up. "Hello Ana. Oh how I miss you. I hope you're happy wherever you are. I'm not because turns out Javier was right all along, and I'm sure that he's laughing and mocking me right now. He defeated me. Since you died, he completely broke my spirit. I'm not the bird you knew or fell in love with any longer. I'm but a former shell of myself. I've hurt my friends; I'm all alone. I'm not even living anymore. My life holds no meaning if I can't be with you. So, I decided…"

Kipo paused to withdraw a razor sharp piece of glass that he found in an alleyway from a ruffle of feathers. He lifted the shard in front of his face and stared at it, his eyes completely devoid of any emotion. "I'm going to end it. Within moments, I will be with you once more, just as I should have been nine months ago. I shouldn't have fought Javier, rather I should have let him grant me the mercy of letting me endure a swift death. All I've done since then is suffered, and I'm tired of it. I won't endure anymore pain."

Kipo put two of his wingtips to the center of his wing and closed his eyes in concentration. After a moment or two, he could feel the pumping of blood through the brachial artery in his wing. He then placed the sharp edge of the glass right onto that spot and pressed it into his feathers. KIpo closed his eyes with a big smile on his face, feeling more at peace with himself then he'd ever felt in the last nine months. He knew without a shadow of a doubt as he began to feel the dribbles of blood trickling down his wing that this was the right thing to do. Once he went a little deeper with his makeshift knife, the blood would begin squirting out like a fire hose and it wouldn't be long before his eyes closed for good. "I will see you soon, Ana."

"Sooner then you might think," chided an all too familiar voice."

Kipo withdrew the glass from his wing and felt his heart stop for a moment. He lost all feeling in his body and could almost sense the color being drained from his feathers. No, it couldn't be. He was hearing things. This wasn't possible. But when Kipo turned his body around, there she stood. His bill dropped to the floor. He could not believe it. There, right before his very eyes, bathed in a pure white which lit up the darkness of the night, stood his Ana.

She looked no different than she had in life. Her gorgeous blue and gold feathers brought color to the desolate landscape of the mountainside, her rare, piercing gray eyes stared into Kipo's soul and made him feel as if he'd been caught with his wing in a cookie jar. He blinked his eyes a few time to keep from staring back and then came to his senses. What was he waiting for? His calls had been answered at last! Kipo rushed forward to sweep Ana up into his wings, but before he could, she held up a wing to stop him.

Kipo just stared at her, mouth agape, in complete confusion. Why did she not want to embrace him? HAdn't she missed him just as much as he missed her? After all this time could she have possibly moved on? MAybe in the afterlife you could indeed meet and fall in love with new birds. Kipo dropped the piece of glass and held his wings over his eyes as he began to weep once more. Blood which continued to trickle out of his right wing dripped down into his mouth but he did not cringe the slightest at the horrid, salty taste. It was no use. Even in death he couldn't be happy. Ana no longer wanted him. He would die alone, with no one to ever love him again.

Ana watched this pathetic display with her wings crossed over her chest. She just stared at him as if she felt disgusted towards what she witnessed. At last she began to address him, the sound of her voice after so long hitting Kipo hard with nostalgic emotions. "How could you even think to do something like this, Kipo? What makes you think I'd want to be with you before your time is up? When I died, I did so with the peace of knowing that you still had the opportunity to live a good,long, happy life. Instead, you are squandering that gift. Getting drunk every night, feeling sorry for yourself, and now this. You're absolutely unbelievable."

Kipo looked up at her, the tears not flowing from his eyes for the time being. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. She'd been watching him this whole time. Somehow, even after saying that he knew she'd always look down on him at her funeral he'd always doubted that. Indeed, though, she saw every moment of his life so far and what did she see? Disappointment after disappointment. Kipo felt so terrible and embarrassed that he just wanted to disappear. He shook his head, unable to look her in the eye. "I am sorry, Ana. I am so sorry. I have failed you. I broke my promise to you. I see that now. BUt where do I start? I've alienated everyone around me. I don't think there's anything I can do to redeem myself at this point."

Ana shook her head. "There's always something you can do, Kipo. Instead of being a coward attempting to run away from your problems, you need to start facing them head on. You should begin by going back to Blu and apologizing for what you have done. He needed time to cool off before. I can guarantee you that a bird with a heart so good as his wouldn't throw away one of his closest friends like that forever. I really wish it didn't take an appearance from me from beyond the grave to get this to sink into your head but it seems like that's the only way."

Kipo nodded his head. Every word that Ana spoke rang out with complete truth. He understood now what everyone had been telling him all this time. He needed to put the past behind him until he met Ana again the proper way. Until then, he would just have to carry on and stay strong. She wanted that; she said so herself. KIpo formed a smile at her, perhaps the first real one since the day she died in his wings all those months ago. "I'll go to him right now, Ana. Thank you for coming to see me like this. I'm sorry for all I've done to disappoint you. I swear from the bottom of my heart that I will improve my behavior. From this day on, I will laugh with my friends, I will have fun, and I will live life to the fullest until the day I die."

Ana stepped forward and allowed her head to rest against Kipo's. She planted a kiss on his bill that to Kipo, felt like pure bliss. He never thought he would be able to do that again, yet here he was, feeling the touch of her beak against his. Now, Kipo knew that someday he could die happy. When Ana pulled back, she smiled at him and reached up to smooth down the feathers atop his head. "I love you, Kipo. I loved you in life and I continue to wait for you at the gates to paradise every day. However, I will wait until your life ends naturally. I don't want you to cut it short to be with me." She laughed as a thought passed through her mind. "I don't have anything better to do; it kind of is eternity up there."

Kipo laughed as well, something he thought he'd never do again. He realized that before Ana went back upstairs, he could ask her a question he'd wanted to know his whole life. "So, what's it like up there?"

Ana smirked and let out a sigh. She looked up to the clouds above as she thought about how best to describe it. "Well, the sun always shines, there's a lot of dogs up there since all dogs go to heaven, the temperature is always comfortable, and most of the time I just fly around. I'll be honest, it can get a little boring sometimes."

Kipo shrugged his shoulders. "Shame, if I was there, I can guarantee you it would never be boring."

Ana leaned forward to nuzzle her beak against Kipo's. "I don't doubt that. Now run along, Kipo. You have a Spix's macaw to apologize to, and I have a date to play fetch with my best pooch friends. I have to say you don't love them on Earth, but up there, dogs ain't so bad!"

Kipo laughed again and nodded his head. He gave her a sweet smile and held her wings in his once more before he needed to say goodbye for who knew how long. "I'm going to miss you, more than you could ever know. But for the first time in a long time, I know I've got this. You won't ever have to worry about me again. I know now that I will be just fine."

Ana nodded her head as well and smiled. She kissed him on the cheek and then began to fade away into the ether as if she had never been there at all. "Goodbye Kipo, I love you."

Kipo waved to Ana until he could no longer see her. Only then, did the words escape his mouth. "Goodbye Ana, I love you too." Kipo looked around at his surroundings and let out a huge sigh. He felt as if a thousand weights just got taken off of his chest. There was only one thing to do now. KIpo needed to find Blu and make things right. All of a sudden though, he felt a stinging pain at his side. His eyes widened as he clutched his wing to his chest, the small open wound still leaking a thick, red substance all over his body. _Okay, _he thought, _maybe there's two things to do. First, find some Band-aids, then go find Blu. _


	11. 11 Final Battle Plans

**Chapter 11: Final Battle Plans**

At long last, the endless deluge upon the city of Rio began to cease. It happened in a gradual process over the course of an hour, decreasing in power from a downpour, to a drizzle, and then finally stopping altogether. However, just because the rain no longer battered the many buildings and the jungle landscape which surrounded three sides of the city, did not mean the thick blanket of black clouds would budge. This resulted in the region continuing to be shrouded in darkness, making it difficult for humans to see where they needed to go, but nearly impossible for wild animals. One such bird had to make do with these circumstances, however, and press on in his journey. If he did not reach his destination, his master would have his head.

Manolo flapped his wings as fast as they would go in his effort to make it across the large expanse of territory he needed to cover to reach the abandoned building which served as Angel's base of operations. His light brown eyes, typically dull in color, gleamed with both excitement towards the deed he just pulled off as well as stress due to having to be on his guard more than usual to avoid smashing into a building in the darkness.

The wicked hookbill longed to let out a maniacal cackle to celebrate kidnapping the love of his greatest enemy right out from under his beak, but he could not do this. The reason being, Jewel's two legs hung in between his beak, her sharp claws digging into his gums every now and then, filling his mouth with the unpleasant, salty taste of blood.

Manolo kept telling himself that he didn't mind the off-putting taste which now coated his tongue. After all, he and Angel often feasted on the carcasses of innocent birds they found stupidly wandering the streets of Rio at night whom they later slaughtered. But still, he made a mental note to tell this female to clip her nails when he tied her up in their lair. Better yet, he resolved to do it for her, chopping her claws down so close to the quick that he drew blood. Then, he would force feed it to her so she understood the aggravation he went through on his way there.

Arching his head downwards now to do a sweep of the ground below with his gaze, Manolo noticed that the man-made structures now stood much smaller in size. This meant that the hookbill had left the central district of Rio where the taller skyscrapers were located, instead he now glided over a more residential, suburban neighborhood. Angel's lair hid within one of these tiny houses, the paths connecting them made out of dust and dirt rather than asphalt roadways. Though he didn't care enough to find out the real reason for this, Manolo always assumed that the families residing in the neighboring buildings to his were a lot poorer than the humans who lived closer to the beach and all the action.

If so, that would indeed explain the dismal condition of the homes. The buildings, Manolo's included, had been constructed out of mostly plaster with a thin coat of hideous white paint on their exteriors. Since their formation, the paint on the walls peeled off in long strips, exposing the bare beige surface underneath. Roofs made of scrap metal and connected with scratchy, cheap ropes often broke apart, the noise of such a collapse woke Manolo up on many nights. When this happened, he cursed the humans next door and the residents inside would wake up the next day to find any pets that they may have owned dead as punishment for disturbing him.

Despite remembering these negative events in his life, a smile curled upon Manolo's beak, causing his victim's appendages to shift ever so slightly upwards. Now that he succeeded in capturing Jewel, there wouldn't be any doubt that Blu would walk right into their trap. By sunrise, everything he, Angel, and the rest of their team now deceased, had struggled to obtain for years would fall right into their wings. Then, it wouldn't be long before the entire city fell to its knees under their power. No one would stand a chance against them.

Deep down, Manolo wished that some of the creatures living in the region would dare to defy his and the falcon's rule. It wouldn't be as exciting if everyone just stepped in line like good little soldiers in their new order. He hoped that some would be foolish enough to lead a small rebellion, that way, he could use his newfound power to strike them down in cold blood. Spreading fear and suffering happened to be one of his favorite pastimes. If that couldn't be done, what was the point of having unlimited strength and abilities?

Now, peering down at the streets below him once more, a familiar antennae came into view. Manolo recognized it as the one he often needed to adjust in the dead of night to be able to continue watching his favorite tv programs. His grin grew wider as he realized that the hard part of his plan now rested in the past. All he needed to do now was enter through the secret passageway on the side of the house; then, he and Angel would bind Jewel to a wall. After that, the only thing left to do was wait for their guest to arrive. Nothing could go wrong.

Manolo changed the direction of his body so that his dark green bill pointed towards the barren alleyways on the ground. Not a soul would be caught dead out here tonight. The treacherous weather from the earlier evening derailed any plans humans or birds may have had that night. Tht hookbill himself couldn't wait to get inside and dry off. He knew that he probably looked like pure crap, his feathers drooping and sopping wet, his bill slick with rainwater. He may have been more used to wet environments being a close relative of a duck, but it had been a long time since he went swimming. Manolo hated water just as much as a cat would.

He flew downwards with all the swiftness he could muster. Manolo wanted to show up in the dingy living room he and the falcon spent most of their time in as soon as possible for maximum brownie points. Though he no longer had any other birds to compete with for Angel's approval, Manolo considered it a personal achievement to earn a compliment from the evil mastermind. It made him feel that all he did was worthwhile, especially since some of the stuff Angel made him do really could be seen as degrading. For example, having to fly out in the middle of a rainstorm and bring back a bird in your mouth since you have webbed feet and thus lack claws.

The minute his large, rubbery feet made contact with the ground, Manolo scrunched his eyes up in annoyance. The usually dry as a bone dirt path turned into a thick, muddy swamp thanks to the buckets of rain which assaulted it for hours prior. The hookbill uttered a swear word that came out muffled due to the bird he still held onto. Manolo thought for a minute that he must have knocked Jewel out pretty hard back at the samba club. He'd been flying with her for nearly a half hour now and she didn't so much as stir.

He now wanted to get inside as quick as he could. Manolo didn't want to be out in this brown, muddy wasteland for longer than he needed to be. As he stepped towards the left wall of the house, his massive feet made loud sucking noises equivalent to those of someone sticking suction cups to a surface and removing them repeatedly.

The sound grated on Manolo's nerves, further raising his temper. He breathed heavily through his nostrils, trying to calm the increasing levels of rage within his body. Manolo made another mental note to give that male Spix's macaw a good throttling when he showed up for making the hookbill become soaking wet, dirty, and tired all in one night.

At last, Manolo stepped up to the siding of the house, which consisted of strips of scrap metal attached to the more durable cement structure underneath it. His eyes widened with pleasure as he noticed that the heavy cinderblock which covered up the secret entrance from intruders had been kindly slipped aside for Manolo to enter with ease. A grateful smile blanketed his bill. He made sure that he would thank Angel when he got inside for the gesture. Though rarely and often only towards his teammates, Angel could be compassionate.

Manolo slipped inside the pitch-black hallway, taking deep breaths as he went to calm his thudding pulse. This intense darkness always unnerved him whenever he needed to walk through the corridor at night. Besides that, the low ceiling of the hallway always dripped with water, and each time a drop made contact with his head, Manolo couldn't help but shiver with fear.

After a minute or two which seemed like an eternity to him in a bottomless pit, Manolo's eyes eagerly drank in the dark yellow light which greeted him each morning in the living room. Wanting to reach it sooner, Manolo quickened his pace until he stepped across the threshold onto the appalling mustard-yellow carpet which covered the floor. Manolo cringed at the various colored stains on the rug, mostly brown ones from water damage. He couldn't wait to blow this sad joint in favor for a fortress on a mountaintop he would have his new slaves build for him. After enduring so many peasant-like conditions for so long, the hookbill would finally get what he deserved.

Manolo opened his beak to let Jewel fall to the ground. Since she fell on a cushion of carpet, her body did not make much of a sound. The hookbill took in several deep breaths and let them out to cover the taste of her feet on his tongue with the feel of cool air. He looked around the room, surprised to not see Angel waiting for him inside. Before he could shout to get the falcon's attention, however, the wooden door on the far side of the living room began to open slowly with a loud, creaking noise.

The hookbill's heart beat faster as Angel stepped through the doorway from his personal office into the common room formerly shared by all four of the birds. He stretched his black and white speckled wings in front of his chest and cracked them like a pair of knuckles. A malicious smile spread across his razor sharp yellow beak as his demonic looking green eyes slid over the limp body of Jewel on the floor.

He raised his head to meet Manolo's slightly fearful gaze and returned it with one of approval. Angel nodded and began to speak to Manolo, wanting to let him know that he succeeded in his task and needn't fear him, at least not yet. "Well done Manolo. I will admit I did have my doubts that you wouldn't be able to carry out such a task in this dreadful weather. However, I am more than pleased in what you have managed to accomplish." He winked at him and chuckled, deciding to make a crack at his appearance. "I do apologize for you having to get so dirty. But really, it's not like this house is any cleaner. It's utterly hideous."

The worry left Manolo's eyes and his facial features visibly relaxed as the words that Angel spoke touched his ears. He let out a huge, relieved sigh and grinned with pride. "Thank you, Angel. Yeah, don't worry about me; I'm just glad I got back here after succeeding in everything I set out to do." Finally, he could chuckle in honor of the victory the two of them scored and at the stupidity of their enemies. "It was quite simple actually. Those fools were all partying inside the club when I arrived. The only one with Jewel at the moment was that infernal spoonbill who turned Ana against us, Kipo. Unfortunately for Jewel, he wasn't any help to her, for he'd been too drunk to barely stand let alone put up a decent fight."

Bitterness entered Angel's eyes for a brief moment as he thought about how he lost one of his servants to the potential heroes of this pathetic city. Though he'd always planned to dispose of Javier so he could use his heart of stone to re-create the device needed to give him unlimited power, Angel never wanted to kill Ana. Instead, he desired to make her his mate, be it of her will or not. Angel relished in thinking of the suffering and torment he would cause her by doing exactly what caused her to lose all her self-esteem and become his obedient little puppet, night after night.

Even though he could no longer do such a despicable deed to Ana and couldn't do it to Jewel either, maybe he could at least make the Spix's macaw think that awaited her destiny when she came to. Why not toy with the bird who interfered with his plans so much all this time? A wicked cackle escaped his beak as he clapped his wings together to gather the full attention of Manolo. He turned to the hookbill and began to issue orders. "Listen up Manolo! You're going to bring Jewel over to the coffee table in the middle of the room while I tie her wings behind her with the ziptie. Is that clear?"

Manolo nodded with a vicious smile. At long last, the real fun would begin. He saluted Angel in a playful manner and then approached Jewel without wasting another moment. "Crystal, Sir." Manolo took hold of one of Jewel's motionless wings and grunted as he drug her body the short distance across the carpet to the wooden coffee table in the middle of the room. Angel was right there with the ziptie and in one swift motion, Jewel lay restrained with no hope of escaping on her own. Manolo stepped back and crossed his brown wings over his chest. Nodding with approval at his work, he said: "I believe that is a mission accomplished."

"Part one, yes," Angel agreed. He took a few slow paces towards their kidnappee and placed a black wing right under Jewel's beak. Moving it so that she would look right into his eyes when she awoke, Angel smiled at her insanely. "But before Blu shows up and we can initiate Part two, I think we should have a little fun with the bird. What do you say, Manolo?"

Manolo threw his head back in wicked laughter. Straightening his posture once more, a cruel smile blanketed his face. His stomach churned with eager anticipation at the thought of driving Jewel mad before they needed to get serious. "I couldn't think of anything more fun."

Angel needed no second bidding. He pulled his wing back and let it fly in a vicious blow across the side of Jewel's beak. The falcon struck so hard that Jewel's entire neck turned to the right. She awoke almost immediately and yelped with pain. Angel let out an amused cackle as Jewel shifted her head rapidly from side to side, attempting to make sense of her situation. She took shallow, panicked breaths as she realized that her beak bled, trickles of the deep red substance entering her mouth and filling it with a disgusting, chemical taste.

"Where am I?" Jewel asked aloud to no one in particular. Her eyes took in everything around her from the ugly beige ceilings, to the ancient television up against the far wall, to the patched-up vomit green couch behind her, to her tied up wings. Now, Jewel grew more angry than concerned. She began to thrash around in a futile attempt to free herself from her binds, eyes narrowing on the two birds who stared her down with excited smiles. Jewel could barely believe what she saw as her gaze locked on one bird in particular, the hookbill whom she and her friends had hung out with the past couple of days.

"Manolo?" Jewel spoke in an almost breathless tone. She just couldn't find the words to express what she felt inside. The deep, sickening feeling of betrayal suffocated her and made her feel like she wanted to lash out at him to make him feel that same pain. "I-I don't believe this. You kidnapped me, didn't you? You brought me here. You've been working for Angel this whole time. Was the story about you being friends with Rafael even true? Did he mistake you for somebody else?" Jewel grew angrier as she continued to speak. By the time she said this last sentence, she lunged forward as much as she could before the elastic ties pulled her back. "Let me go, you sick freaks!"

Manolo simply cackled in response to Jewel's outburst. His cruel, heartless glare made Jewel want to cry with rage. She tired of birds she thought were her friends turning around and stabbing her in the back. How could he find any of this funny? She would never understand what went through the minds of these lunatics, how they could derive pleasure from the pain of others. Birds like them needed to die. The world would be a much happier place for everyone. Jewel continued to struggle against her ties, letting out a growl of frustration as she did. "Just you wait the both of you! When I get out of these ropes, I'll claw your eyes out! Then, I'll shove them down your throats so hard you'll wish you died with the first attack!"

Angel nodded his head with a sarcastic smile on his beak. He clapped to mock Jewel which only served to increase her fury. She leaped forward in an attempt to bite at him but could not reach the falcon. Her eyes narrowed into pits of pure hatred toward him. He was the cause of all the evil that plagued the peaceful city for the last two years. He'd been responsible for Ana's death, Kipo's injuries, the near murder of her eggs. Everything had been his doing and he needed to pay. But, right now, Jewel couldn't do anything, and she despised every minute she was helpless.

"I'm quaking in my talons," Angel laughed. He stepped forward, as if daring Jewel to lash out at him. Not to his surprise, she didn't move a muscle. For all Jewel's threats and seeming courage, Angel knew that deep down he frightened her. Jewel knew from her experiences in the jungle that falcons, while not native to Rio, were heartless murderers. They killed birds for food but many just did it for the thrill of the hunt. No doubt if it ever came down to a match between the two, Jewel would lose. Angel was much tougher than her naturally; he needed to be if he was to obtain the food he ate to survive.

Jewel could feel her heart pound harder as Angel stepped closer and closer to her. She hated herself for being scared of this brute. Why didn't she attack him? He practically handed himself to her on a silver platter. But Jewel knew why. They held her hostage. She couldn't perform her full set of skills to defend herself. If she foolishly attempted a takedown, Angel would gain the upper hand within seconds. Not to mention, he had Manolo as backup which he could call on any moment he needed it. Jewel just had to face it. At the moment, she couldn't do anything but sit there and endure whatever his sick, scheming mind planned to do.

Angel stood right next to Jewel now and leaned on the coffee table. He smirked at her and leveled a wink in her direction as well. Jewel became sick to her stomach as the thought crossed her mind that in that moment, had he not been the most cruel bird she ever had the displeasure of meeting in her life, he actually looked kind of attractive. He possessed that kind of bad boy charisma that drove most female birds wild. While Jewel didn't find such a trait sexy, she knew many would. That likely played a factor in his success in recruiting Ana to his little band of villains.

"It's so nice of you to join us in our humble abode, Jewel," Angel teased. "How's your head? I do hope that Manolo didn't hit you too hard."

Jewel snapped at Angel as Manolo laughed behind her at her expense. Her anger was beginning to brew to levels beyond her control, and she tried once more to free herself from the zipties so she could pounce on the falcon. "You all think you've won by kidnapping me? Well, guess what? You don't earn anything by taking me! I don't have that dumb flower that Javier drove himself insane obsessing over. So if that's why you took me, you're out of luck!"

Angel shook his head at Jewel, as if disappointed in her lack of intelligence. He spoke to her once more, his voice dripping with patronization. "No, no, you stupid, worthless female. Ugh, you women. You're not good for anything except a good time at night. You really are the dumbest creatures ever to walk this planet. I am well aware that you don't have any of the items I need. However, your husband does. With you here, that fool will deliver himself right into our talons. He'll do anything to save you because he loves you. It truly is such a powerful, yet stupid thing."

Jewel, who at the beginning of Angel's lecture felt ready to murder him for speaking to her with such little regards for her dignity, now felt the icy grip of terror clutch her heart. Her eyes widened with great fear, a fact which did not go unnoticed by Angel and served to extend his sadistic grin. Jewel shook her head in despair, for she knew that Angel was right. Blu wouldn't hesitate to save her. In fact, right as they spoke he probably flew to save her, items of destruction in wing. The city didn't stand a chance. "Oh Pet, if only I could warn you to stay away. Leave me, take the flower and watch somewhere safe. Rio can't fall to these monsters because of me. You can't let them win."

Angel threw his head back and let out an insane cackle. His eyes shone with joy knowing that Jewel, normally a feisty bird now writhed in a blanket of anxiety. There would be no hope for her friends or family now. Angel knew he won without even having the items yet. No one would stop him this time. There would be a new master in the town and his name was Angel.

The falcon stepped away from the coffee table and towards the door to his office, though he did not enter. Instead, he stood outside it with his back to Jewel and Manolo. "Cry all you want, pretty bird, but your mate cannot hear you. Oh, how I long to wrap my talons around his neck and squeeze the life out of him when he arrives with the objects I desire. I will savor every shade of purple his feathers turn, the rolling of his eyes back into his head as the blood vessels become exposed underneath, and finally the last breath he will ever take. He will rest in his grave for all eternity knowing that he failed to save you and the city, that he fell at the wings of his greatest enemy whom he could not defeat, the great Angel."

#

While Jewel suffered under the cruel, sadistic emotional abuse of the villainous falcon, Blu breathed a sigh of relief knowing that the rain which plagued the four heroes' journey let up at last. This would make finding the landmark they searched for in the jungle much easier. A smile found its way onto the Spix's macaw's beak for the first time since Jewel went outside to comfort Kipo hours earlier. He looked over his shoulder at his companions whom continued to follow his lead. Upon seeing his relaxed demeanor, they returned his gaze with happy smiles. "It shouldn't be much longer now," Blu encouraged them. "We have to be getting close, I can feel it in my bones."

A confused look came over Pedro's face as he flapped his wings. "Dawg, are you for real? How can you feel that? You must be playing with me here."

Nico laughed at his best friend and flew into his side on purpose. "I think it's just a saying, Pedro. He probably means that he has a hunch we're almost there or something."

Understanding washed over Pedro's face and his eyes widened with clarity. "Ohhh, I get it now, Nic. I'll never understand why he can't just speak normal though. Everything he says is like a puzzle I got to solve. I hate puzzles! There's too many small pieces and they never fit!"

Rafael rolled his eyes at his smaller amigos, but smiled at their antics nonetheless. Since his talk with Blu, the mood among the four birds grew much more calm and lighthearted. To pass the time as they flew through the rainforest, they talked about each of their lives before Blu came to Rio. He'd been eager to know what it was like when Rafael met Eva as well as how Nico and Pedro came about owning their club. Now, however, closing in on their destination, the toucan attempted to tune everyone out and focus on finding a thick vine connecting two trees.

Rafael squinted his eyes to maximize his vision in the nonexistent light as much as he could, byt he found himself getting discouraged. No matter how much he looked, what the four needed to find didn't show up anywhere. He began to wonder if they'd gotten themselves all hopelessly lost in the jungle and that Jewel's fate had been sealed. Though he'd never voice such a concern to Blu, it tortured his mind every second. "Do you see anything yet, Blu?"

Blu paused for a second so Rafael could catch up to him and Blu could answer his question. The Spix's macaw shook his head, fear beginning to return to his face. The four of them were running out of time and Blu knew this. They didn't just have to reach his home. After that, they needed to fly all the way back to the city to deliver the items to Angel or Jewel would be killed. But, Blu didn't think they'd be able to make it. He felt just about ready to give up. "I don't understand. We have to be getting close. But, where is it? Ugh, this is driving me insane."

Pedro flew behind Blu and patted him on the back to comfort him. "I know how you feel bro, I haven't seen nothing that even looks close to a vine. All I saw a few trees back was this big snake. Y'all are lucky you didn't have to look at its body. The thing was so huge it took up the space between two trees. I almost had a heart attack."

Blu's head snapped up as realization hit him hard. He whirled to face Pedro, his smile so big it was a wonder that Blu's face didn't break. "Pedro, that wasn't a snake! That was the vine! You found it! Take us to it right now; my home is right by it. Oh, we did it guys! We did it!"

Nico laughed and flew alongside Pedro. "Well, well, well, look who saved the day. Congratulations, buddy."

The white feathers on Pedro's body turned as red as the rest of him due to the compliments his friends gave him. "It ain't nothing guys." He motioned with his head for them to follow him. "Come on, it's right over here. Before you know it Blu, we'll have Jewel back. That falcon don't stand a chance against us."

#

The birds obeyed Pedro's every direction until at last, the hollow entrance to Blu's tree came into view. An elated smile came upon the Spix's macaw's beak. Never in his life had he been so happy to see his home. For a while, he believed that he didn't stand a chance at saving Jewel from evil. Now, however, hope shone through like a beacon penetrating the wall of clouds which blocked out the moonlight from reaching Rio.

Blu turned towards his friends, happier than he'd felt all day. "We did it; thank you all for everything." Blu shifted his attention to the red crested cardinal and nodded his head at him. "Thanks Pedro for spotting that vine. We all flew right past it. If it wasn't for you, I don't think Jewel would have any chance of making it back home."

Pedro winked at Blu and smiled. "You're welcome, Blu. And don't sweat it, we're gonna get Jewel back, just you wait and see."

Rafael flew alongside Blu and looked at him with a mix of encouragement and warning in his eyes. "I too am glad we scored a victory in this department amigo, but we still have a long way to go before we can celebrate. Compared to what we need to do after we get the flower and watch and start our way back to the city, this will look like a piece of cake."

Blu let out an exhausted sigh and his feathers drooped at having his bubble burst by the toucan. He knew that Rafael didn't say this to be mean, just practical, but it hurt nonetheless. Blu chuckled and rolled his eyes. "Can't a guy just bask in the glory of a win for one second?"

Everyone around Blu laughed at what he said. They all agreed that they wanted to do that too. But, the more they stood around cracking jokes and complaining about their current status. The more time they wasted. "Alright guys," Blu said while motioning with his wing for them to follow him. "Let's head in. Please be careful when you're walking around in there. I don't know if the kids left any of their stuff out on the floor, and it's so dark I can barely see my own wings. The last thing we need is to have to bring somebody to Tulio to treat a broken bone. We'll never save Jewel in time if that happens."

Blu's friends all nodded their heads in understanding and flew behind him towards the entrance to his tree. When they landed on the wooden ledge, however, their hearts froze in their chest. In the blackness of the interior, they could just make out a tall figure standing near the back. Nico's tiny body began to tremble like never before. He felt ready to have a panic attack as did everyone else present. "W-w-who's that?" the canary whispered.

"I don't know." Blu responded just as quietly. His legs shook from fear. He'd only been in a fight once in his life against Javier. Though in the end the cold-blooded military macaw lay dead, he hadn't been the one to finish him off. Jewel snuck behind the bird at the last second and surprised him by stabbing him with the knife used to cut their anniversary cake. Blu may have been more confident in his limited abilities now if the arena hadn't been so small. That combined with Blu's poor skills almost guaranteed a loss against this unknown opponent.

However, Blu refused to let his friends down. He wouldn't let this bird who Angel obviously sent to deal with them succeed in his plans. Blu curled his wings into fists and stepped further into the tree, ignoring the desperate pleas of his friends to return to them. The Spix's macaw put on his most menacing glare and spoke in the scariest tone he could muster on such short notice. Blu expected that it wouldn't frighten this mercenary, but he felt better if he at least tried everything in his power. "I don't know who you are, but you will leave my home right now. If not, I will have to fight you. I don't want to, but if you force my wing, then I will."

To the shock of everyone present, the mysterious bird held its wings up in surrender. Blu cocked his head in confusion, not believing that a servant of Angel would balk at such a weak threat. The guy had to have some kind of trick up his sleeve. However, when the bird spoke, Blu immediately recognized his voice, and his wings curled into tighter fists for a whole different reason.

Kipo stepped closer to Blu, his head not bowed the slightest in shame. He looked down at the Spix's macaw and nodded in his direction. Kipo saw that Blu was obviously angry, but he refused to leave until the Spix's macaw heard him out. He knew every word Ana told him to be true. Blu would forgive him; he just needed time. Well, that time passed. Surely now, Blu would be more willing to hear what he had to say. "Hello Blu. I thought I might find you here. I'm sure you know why I've come."

Blu, stubborn as ever, turned around and crossed his wings. He didn't want to look at Kipo, still not feeling generous towards anyone the spoonbill in particular. "I'm not interested in your words, Kipo. Words don't mean anything. I need actions. After all, it was your lack of action tonight that resulted in Jewel being taken."

Despite Blu not looking at him, Kipo's eyes widened with excitement. The same reaction came from the three birds witnessing this tense exchange between the two ex-friends. While he said it indirectly, Blu implied with his statements that he'd be willing to forgive Blu if Kipo proved to him that he was sorry.

Kipo took a step closer to Blu and continued talking to his back. "Blu, I am sorry for what I did tonight. I'm sorry for putting Jewel's life in danger. If they wanted me, I would go to their lair right now and take her place. As sad as it makes me, I can't change any of that, but I can help you guys make it right. If you'll let me, I will come with you to their hideout. I will help you take down Manolo and Angel and save Jewel. Even if it means dying in this fight tonight, I will do whatever it takes. Jewel should not have to suffer for my mistakes."

The spoonbill thought of another thing he needed to make sure his friends knew he would never do again. This part of his pledge involved all four of them. "And from this moment on, I will no longer drink alcohol. I'm going cold turkey. Tonight has made me realize that it isn't helping me at all. All it did was make me more sad and miserable. I know now that I'm always gonna miss Ana, but she would want me to enjoy my life. I owe it to her and to all of you guys to live my best life. There won't be any more moaning and groaning. From this moment on, the old Kipo is back and he will never leave again."

Kipo noticed Blu inhaling a large gulp of air. This made the spoonbill's heart pound harder, for he feared Blu was preparing to whirl around and launch into another tirade against him. As Blu let out the breath and began to face him once more, Kipo braced for the onslaught of insults and barrage of punches sure to come his way. When they did, the spoonbill wouldn't defend himself. He would leave the tree after Blu got his anger out knowing full well that he did everything in his power to make things right. He couldn't force Blu to forgive him. If Blu truly no longer wanted to be friends, then Kipo wouldn't dwell on it. He now saw that life was short, and he wouldn't waste it on someone who hated him.

To Kipo's great shock, however, Blu didn't look incredibly upset when he faced him once more, just disappointed. Blu nodded his head, a stern expression on his face and spoke: "If we get Jewel back tonight and you really do manage to kick this alcohol habit, then it will be water under the bridge. Until then, forgiveness pending, but I am willing to give you another chance. Does that sound good?"

Kipo nodded with a big grin on his face. He couldn't believe it! This actually worked! "Deal!" he answered enthusiastically. "I promise you Blu, I will never hurt you like that again. It upset me more than you could ever know when Jewel got taken. I will make this right, I promise. I just want to thank you for letting me have the chance."

"You're welcome," Blu said, his tone all business. "Unfortunately, we really don't have much time to talk. Every second we waste is another that could have been spent saving Jewel." Blu started to walk past Kipo to the back of the tree where he hid the items when a patch of brown on Kipo's pink and white coat of feathers caught his eye. Blu arched an eyebrow at the spoonbill and pointed to his injury. "What happened to your wing?"

Kipo shifted his attention to the bandage he found in a dumpster in an alley behind a local pharmacy. The spoonbill would be forever grateful to the many things humans threw away without finishing in this city. They helped so many birds with their carelessness and they didn't even know it. Returning his gaze to Blu, he shrugged his shoulders as if what happened had been no big deal and not a suicide attempt. "I'm sure you've noticed, but it's incredibly dark out. On my way here, I failed to see a really high antennae sticking out above the rooftop of a skyscraper. One of its bars sliced my wing and I had to find some Band-Aids in an alley to patch it up. It's just a small scratch though, no big deal at all."

Satisfied with this explanation to an issue he only half-cared about, Blu turned around once more and retrieved the flower and watch hidden behind the small TV Linda and Tulio gifted the Spix's macaws with the day they moved into the tree. Staring at the troublesome objects, Blu shook his head. "All this violence and bloodshed over these two things. Well, not anymore. Tonight, we end this."

Pedro decided to speak up for the first time since they all arrived, now seeing that the problem between Blu and Kipo had been swept under the rug for the time being. "How do y'all suppose we go about doing this? Do we even know where this Angel guy is hiding? He could be anywhere in Rio and he didn't exactly leave detailed instructions on that dumb note he gave us."

Blu moved from the back of his tree to the middle of the hollow and the remaining birds walked towards him, surrounding the macaw they looked up to as their leader in this situation. Blu saved them in so many circumstances before. From the smugglers' plane, to the disaster at his anniversary party, to now, Blu always came through and knew what to do. The Spix's macaw spoke now, everyone listening intently, not wanting to miss out on a single word of the plan.

"Actually Pedro," Blu explained, "I have been in their lair before. It has been a while, but I'm sure that if I really put my mind to it, I could find it no problem. Angel sets up his operations in this run-down little house. It's not terribly hard to get in; the real issue is what we do once we get inside. The way I got in last time was through this hole in the outer wall. It's sort of like an air vent, but on the ground, and there's no metal surrounding the passage. When you exit, you come out into the living room of the house. My guess is they'll likely be keeping Jewel there since it's one of the only two rooms I've walked in. I wouldn't have any trouble finding it."

Rafael scratched his chin with his talon, deep in thought about the best course of action in this situation. "I don't think it would be a good idea for all four of us to walk in at once and then try to overpower them. For all we know, they'll kill Jewel right away if they see Blu isn't alone."

Nico turned his head from bird to bird as he spoke up, wanting to put in his own two-cents. "What I think we need to do when we get there is look around outside for an alternate entrance. While Blu goes in through the expected way, we'll come around from somewhere else and surprise them when the timing is right. Five of us, six once we free Jewel, against two of them and they won't stand a chance. For all their confidence and small advantages in strength, they're just birds like us. If we can overpower them with numbers, we'll have it in the bag."

Blu nodded his head and smiled at Nico. "You know what, I like that plan a lot actually." He turned his head to face everyone once more. "We'll go with Nico's idea. When I went in there the first time, I didn't see any windows in the living room or in the office Angel usually keeps to himself in. Provided they're not waiting for us outside, we'll have all the time in the world to search for a way in. But, we'll have to be quiet and smart every step of the way. Angel isn't stupid by a longshot. If we're not at the top of our game, he'll know something's up and he'll hurt Jewel. Does everyone understand that?"

Everyone answered "yes" in response to Blu's question. The Spix's macaw let out an anxious sigh and shook out his feathers. He'd been an anxious bird in the past, afraid of his own shadow, but never in his life did he feel butterflies in his stomach this great. At any moment, Blu felt he could faint from the sheer gravity of the situation which haunted him.

They all needed to execute this plan without one slip-up. If something did indeed go wrong, Jewel would die. Blu would have to live the rest of his life without his mate and best friend. She brought happiness and excitement to his life. Without Jewel, Blu would go back to being that bird who only existed as a human's pet. All those years, Blu had lived without really living. Jewel awakened his heart to the samba and showed him there was more to life than just sitting at home, afraid, reading the same books over and over. There was a whole world out there to explore full of adventures to undertake. Most of all, however, she introduced him to love, a love like he never experienced before. One more than the love between caretaker and pet, a love that contained a fiery passion which all evil hid their eyes from. Separated, the two macaws were weak, missing a part of themselves which the other completed.

No longer would Blu let that happen. With resolve and determination never before seen by his four friends in his eyes, Blu approached the entrance to his hollow. In a ruffle of feathers on each side of his chest, he tucked one item away for safekeeping. The Spix's macaw then opened his wings to their full span, preparing to take flight to save his mate and the mother of his children. Calling to the birds behind him, he asked: "Is everyone ready?"

When they all replied with a resounding "yes we are!", Blu narrowed his eyes and smirked, feeling like he possessed enough courage to take on anything the world could throw at him, even a power-crazed falcon and his hookbill sidekick. "Well then, if that's the case… let's fly."


	12. 12 The Reckoning

**Author's Notes:**

**Hello everyone. I know that this chapter is a day or two later than usual, and I also know it's pretty short. However, as the next chapter is very meaty as far as information and battle goes, I felt that it would be better to separate this part. The next chapter is already in progress and if school continues to work with me, it shouldn't take long for it to be uploaded. I apologize for the slight wait. Please bear with me; you will get your chapters and I assure you they will still be of high quality. Thank you :)**

**By the way, you may have noticed a change in the cover image to this story :D. The drawing includes Blu and Jewel as well as Manolo and everyone's favorite falcon, Angel. This masterpiece was created by none other than Rio illustrator extraordinare, Gale also known by his pen name, Loco Vampire. Huge thanks to him and for those of you viewing my stories on desktop mode, be sure to check it out. **

**Chapter 12: The Reckoning**

As the first few specks of sunlight began to peer over the horizon and light up the city of Rio, the time Blu and his friends had to save Jewel continued to slip away. Just as before, Blu led the way for the rest of the gang, but by this point, he felt exhausted. The veins in his eyes grew more visible due to lack of sleep, and the muscles in his wings ached with a pulsing pain each time he flapped them.

The Spix's macaw looked behind him at his four companions, they appeared to be just as tired as he felt. But really, how could any of them not feel this way? They'd been up all night, flying back and forth across the city. A thought lingered in the back of Blu's mind which brought him no comfort whatsoever. If he could hardly find the strength to move his wings, how could he manage to perform his best in a fight against not one, but two villains? All Blu could hope for was that the task of kidnapping and keeping watch over Jewel would place the falcon and hookbill in the same boat as them when it came to energy.

The other fact which had been stressing Blu out as the five birds continued to travel over the vast expanse of buildings and roadways below was that only he knew the way to their destination. None of them knew what Angel's hideout looked like and thus couldn't assist him in keeping an eye out for it. Blu didn't exactly go there often either. In fact, the last time he'd been compelled to drop by had been about a year ago. Blu really hoped they were all going the right way. If they couldn't save Jewel, Blu knew he would never forgive himself.

Despite not having been there before, Rafael didn't see why he couldn't help out. Blu told them all before they left his hollow that the house itself was built lower to the ground than some other structures in its vicinity. A plot of land filled with nothing but dust and dirt lay on one side of the home, and its outer walls consisted of not much more than ugly peeling plaster which covered the brick foundation underneath.

Peering down at the ground below, the toucan felt very grateful for the fact that the two biggest obstacles that hindered their progress all night long, the darkness and the rain, no longer existed. Everything would be smooth sailing from here on out, provided they found the place and all entered without either bird figuring out Blu failed to follow their orders to show up alone. Rafael looked to his left now, having felt something make contact with his side. He realized it must have been Pedro, for the bird now flew alongside him and made a face which seemed to suggest he needed to ask Rafael something. Not making much progress with the task he assigned himself, Rafael let out a defeated sigh and proceeded to ask Pedro: "What's the matter, amigo?"

Pedro, normally without a care unless it was related to the samba club he and Nico owned, now returned the toucan's gaze with a worried frown. He felt his beak trembling with nervousness for the big confrontation ahead and wondered deep down if they all stood a chance against professional fighters. "Oh nothin much Rafi. I was just wonderin if you're havin any luck with spottin where we need to go." He moved his head from side to side, scanning the streets below. "I've noticed that the buildings are shrinking, which means we must be heading away from the crazy busy center city, but how are we supposed to know the exact building? It's wack that we didn't get better directions if Angel wanted those things so bad."

Rafael's beak curled into an even more sad expression, knowing that he couldn't give Pedro the answer the cardinal wanted. "I'm sorry amigo, but that's just it. I don't know where we're supposed to be going exactly."

The toucan let out a growl of frustration and resisted the urge to give up and fly home. He knew that he couldn't let Blu down like that, but he missed Eva. He missed his bed and hollow. The toucan was no longer in his prime. Could he perform the way he needed to in order to protect his friends? Usually, if pushed around enough, the old fire of his youth alighted once more, but Rafael never faced a challenge like this. "Hold on, I'm gonna ask Blu if he's doing better than I am because I'm going crazy over here looking for something when I don't even really know what I need to find."

Pedro nodded his head and decided to fly back over to the left for a bit to give Rafael some space. He could see the toucan was really stressed out. Then again, they all were but the last thing he needed was Pedro making it worse.

Rafael cleared his throat which felt very dry. He needed a drink of water and wished that they had the time back in the jungle to stop for a drink. They were already cutting it close, however, so Rafael knew this would be out of the question. He took a deep breath and then called out to Blu: "Blu, do you see anything? Are we close?"

Blu turned his head only a little bit to the side, not wanting to sacrifice precious minutes by stopping in mid-flight to talk to the toucan. However, he didn't hesitate to answer his question. "We definitely have to be approaching it because I know it's somewhere in this neighborhood. I know I'll find it sooner or later. The houses may look kind of the same, but this place has a sort of evil feeling emanating from it that is hard to ignore."

From behind the Spix's macaw, Kipo's face scrunched up with incredulousness. Evil feeling? How was that supposed to be of any assistance to them? The only reason Kipo decided not to voice this opinion aloud was Blu just welcomed him back into the fold. This meant he needed to sit back and follow Blu's orders with blind faith. More than anything, the spoonbill didn't want to be cast aside once more and left out of their group. He needed to make things right with Jewel and apologize to her for failing to do anything to prevent her kidnapping.

Arching his head downwards and squinting to look for something useful, Kipo cocked his head in wonder upon noticing something shiny sticking out of a dumpster in an alley. The sunlight, extra intense due to its rising, reflected off of what appeared to be a small piece of metal from far away. Kipo couldn't explain it, but something seemed to draw him towards the object as if it raidated a magnetic force, pulling the large bird to it.

Kipo looked up at his friends, and his eyes widened when he realized that they all stopped flying to stare at him, wondering what could have caught his interest. For a moment, the spoonbill averted his gaze and felt heat creeping onto his cheeks. He knew what he saw wasn't exactly profound and could prove to be nothing more than a waste of their valuable time, but he needed to see if it provided any help to their case. "Um guys," he spoke in a soft, timid voice, "I think I see something down there in that dumpster."

Blu raised a suspicious eyebrow, but he decided to give the spoonbill a chance. He didn't want to admit it to his friends, fearful it would only cause a panic, but if he was being honest with himself, Blu didn't have the slightest idea if they were close to the house or not. "Alright, it's better than nothing." Blu gestured with one of his wings toward the street below. "Lead the way Kipo, we'll take a few seconds to examine it. It's better than nothing which is unfortunately all we've got right now."

Kipo nodded his head and didn't waste another second. He sped like a bullet towards the dumpster and landed with all the grace he could muster at such a high speed on top of one of the large object's rusty, green metal rims. While his other friends came in for a landing next to him, their talons causing the metal to clang upon impact, Kipo reached in and pulled the object of interest out with his large bill.

The other four birds leaned in to study what appeared to be the blank, silver side of a disc of some sort. This would explain why it had the ability to reflect light off of its surface so well. Even now, the rays hit Kipo's eyes, causing him to squint to keep out the brightness. Pedro flew in closer and put a wing on his beak as he thought about what to do next. "It's either a CD or a DVD, man. Turn it over and see if it's something we'll recognize."

Kipo did as he was bidden and the second he noticed the title of the disc, his beak dropped to the ground, releasing the object. Nico swooped in and caught it with his talons before it fell back into the dumpster and an unlucky bird needed to go fish it out. He placed it down on the dumpster's corrugated metal lid and wiped invisible sweat from his forehead, his heart thumping from needing to exercise his reflexes on such short notice. "Jesus Kipo, why do you gotta be so jumpy all the time?"

"Yeah," Pedro chimed in. The cardinal crossed his wings over his chest and frowned disapprovingly at the spoonbill, clearly upset that he caused his canary friend to become annoyed. "What's so bad about the disc, anyway? You acted like it was made of acid."

Kipo just stayed silent for a few seconds as he leaned in to look at the title of the DVD once more. He wondered if after what he saw just an hour or so ago made his mind play tricks on him, but no. The disc did indeed read: "The Vampire Diaries, The Complete First Season." Kipo would never forget his first date with Ana when she told him all about her great love for this show. All the pieces of the puzzle fell into place at once. Angel and Manolo must have thrown out her belongings ages ago after Javier killed her. Little did they know, that even in death Ana proved to be a pain in their rears, for her obsession with the show would lead them right to their front door.

The spoonbill knew his friends continued to stare at him like he was touched in the head, so Kipo promptly turned around and looked at his four companions with a big grin on his face. "You guys, this DVD must have belonged to Ana. She loved this show. She would go on and on for hours about her favorite episodes of it." He began to shift his head around, looking at the houses which surrounded them, trying to deduce which one their enemies inhabited. "The place has got to be right here."

Now onto something, Blu whipped his head from side to side, more determined than ever to find the house where Jewel was held captive. After a minute or two, his eyes locked onto a concrete block which laid just next to an exposed hole in the siding of a house diagonally to the left. Blu's breath began to quicken and he could feel his stomach tying up into a million knots. They'd found the house, but this was only half the battle. If anything, they'd just accomplished the easy portion of their task. From here on out, things were life or death. Blu raised a wing towards the house's exterior, catching the attention of everyone present. "It's over there, come on, hurry!"

The five of them were at the secret entrance to the home in a second. Pedro peered down the pitch-black tunnel but then joined his friends on another side of the building. None of them could risk Manolo or Angel hearing them speak through the hole and realizing that Blu didn't come alone as requested.

Blu paced around and around in a circle, his wing on his chin, trying to think of the best way to go about doing this. Finally, he took a moment to stop, stand still, and face his friends once more. "Okay guys, so here's what we're gonna do." He pointed to the side entrance but kept his eyes on his comrades. "I am going to walk inside the tunnel alone. I need to show up by myself at first so they think I'm alone. I'm sure there's a slight bit of suspicion in the back of their minds I brought help, but if I show up alone they'll be distracted by dealing with me."

Rafael raised one of his wings, uncertainty lining his face. "But Blu, how are we supposed to get inside? You mentioned that there were no windows into the living room."

Blu shook his head, thinking about this. However, his head snapped up and his eyes gleamed with excitement as he thought about one fact about the room he forgot about previously. "Above the couch in the living room, there's an air vent! I know it'll be a tight squeeze for Kipo, but he's just going to have to lie flat on his belly and hope for the best."

Blu began searching the side of the house feverishly for an exterior connection to the ventilation system. Relief entered his body once more as his eyes fell upon a grate further down from where they stood, its hinges loose from age. The Spix's macaw turned back around and clapped his wings together, feeling more excited than ever before. This plan was going to work. _It has to, it's Jewel's only hope. _

"That's it," Blu said, moving his wings back and forth from the air vent to his friends. "You all will head inside and attempt to find your way to the living room. I'm gonna head inside the tunnel and just stand in the dark, trying not to wet my feathers and ignore the millions of spiders probably living inside to bide you guys some time while you get in position. After about ten or fiteen minutes, I'm heading in though. Angel said we needed to get here by dawn and it's already dawn. Is everybody clear on what they're supposed to do? Are we good?"

Everyone nodded their heads in response. However, Kipo blew an unenthusiastic sigh out from his bill. He formed a reluctant grin but answered nonetheless: "Ready as I'll ever be. Don't any of you ever think tall guys have it easy. Like everything else, it's a blessing and a curse."

This elicited a laugh out of the group of birds, lightening up the heavy cloud of tension which hung over the crew since the sun set that previous evening. Blu smiled at his friends, more grateful than any of them could ever know for being willing to assist him in rescuing his beloved Jewel. He bowed his head towards them as a sign of respect and proceeded to thank them. "I couldn't have done any of this without you guys, so thank you. I'm confident that we will save Jewel and stop them tonight. By tomorrow, all of this will be nothing more than a bad memory."

Pedro waved a wing to dismiss the sappy words of the Spix's macaw. He winked at his blue friend, feeling sassier than ever and ready to kick some tailfeathers. "It's nothing bird, now get on in there and we'll meet you in the middle. Let's show these guys what happens when you try to mess with Rio."

The other four of them let out a cheer in response, then quickly covered their beaks, hoping their premature celebration didn't just give away the element of surprise. Not wanting to risk any more mistakes, both Blu and the rest of his friends moved to their respective positions. After one final goodbye, Blu slipped into the tunnel and one by one, the remaining birds squeezed into the air duct.

#

Though he knew he hadn't been in the dank, humid passage for long, the oppressive darkness made Blu's small, required wait feel like an eternity. He wondered if Angel ever imprisoned here any victims which gave him excessive amounts of trouble. Blu knew if he ever got stuck in this joint for too long, not only would he lose his mind from the darkness, he would die from a heart attack due to fright.

Tapping his talon against the concrete floor to keep his mind off of the drops of water slithering down his back from the dripping ceiling, Blu decided that he'd given his friends enough time to get where they needed to be. He couldn't afford to lose any more time waiting around here. If there was one trait he knew Angel didn't likely have, that would be patience, especially since he was so close to accomplishing his goals.

Blu took a deep breath and shook out his feathers in a desperate attempt to calm his nerves. He'd never needed to confront the murderous falcon before. The only time he'd seen the intimidating bird, Angel had been fast asleep. Now however, there would be no getting off easy. Blu needed to be on his best game if he wanted to see Jewel again. Blu closed his eyes, trying to focus on only one thing: Jewel's mesmerizing blue eyes. These eyes brought him comfort whenever he felt at his lowest. As long as he focused on them and being able to hold his wife in his wings once more, Blu knew there was nothing he couldn't do.

Step by step over the puddles of murky water, breath by breath of the moldy, musty air, Blu approached closer and closer to the dim yellow light at the other end of the tunnel. On the other side awaited his precious Jewel, but also the greatest adversaries he'd ever faced in his life. Blu ignored the relentless pounding of his heartbeat. He needed to do this, not just for Jewel and himself, but for all of Rio. As long as Angel ran free, the city and its inhabitants would be in danger. There would be no more running, no hiding for any one of them anymore. By the time noon hit, only one of them would remain alive. Who would win? A Spix's macaw fighting for his family? Or a power hungry falcon seeking to enslave the innocent creatures of Rio for his own sadistic pleasure? This one battle would decide all of that. This was it… the reckoning.


	13. 13 Face to Face with the Devil

**Chapter 13: Face To Face With The Devil**

As Blu crossed the threshold into the lit part of the house, he didn't feel any sense of comfort wash over his soul. In fact, all he felt was an overwhelming stench of evil. Being in the presence of such cruel, heartless birds did nothing but suffocate the goodness within him by increasing all the negative emotions he was capable of. Hatred, anger, vengeance all powered up tenfold when his soulful, gentle chocolate brown eyes locked with the scheming, malicious emerald green eyes of the falcon.

Blu did not fail to notice the bird who stood to his left, brown wings crossed over his chest and an infuriating smirk across his beak. Blu's own wings curled into fists as he took in the sight of the hookbill who betrayed them and made him and his friends look like fools, Manolo. More than Angel, Blu wished to throttle the bird for the hell he put both Blu and Jewel through. The bird would suffer a minor beating, Blu would make sure of that.

The Spix's macaw wondered at first why he didn't see Jewel anywhere and his heart began to pound anew. Was she not in this room? Did they even keep her in the house at all? Manolo did write in his note Jewel was present here, didn't he? Perhaps they'd tricked Blu just to get him to arrive alone. Blu bowed his head in anguish and resisted the urge to cry. No matter how hard he tried, nothing ever proved to be enough. The villains always outsmarted him, staying one step ahead. _I failed, _he thought as a crushing sense of despair overwhelmed him, _I'm sorry Jewel. I'm sorry Rio. I'm so sorry._

"Blu?" spoke an all too familiar voice.

The male Spix's macaw jerked his head up just in time to see Manolo walk over to the other side of Angel, now standing to his right. In the process, he revealed the figure of Jewel, her pale blue wings tied behind her back with some sort of plastic cord. However, despite this, Jewel didn't seem to be in any real pain or discomfort, a fact which brought immeasurable relief to Blu. If anything, she seemed annoyed with her rescuer. These suspicions of Blu's were confirmed when Jewel rolled her eyes and spoke in her famous teasing voice: "Sure took you long enough, Pet. I would have thought you'd have been here hours ago."

Blu's eyes welled up with tears of joy and his grin grew so wide it threatened to break his beak. He feared that he might never hear her sweet, yet cocky voice again. It brought him such peace of mind just to know that she was alive and in the same room as him. That at the very least brought him a sense of control which he relished. He made eye contact with her breathtakingly stunning sapphire orbs and formed his beak into a shy smile, the same one he made two years ago on the trolley. "Yeah well, I had to fly back home and get something first."

At the sound of these words, Jewel's calm, playful exterior became replaced with a mask of cold terror. She didn't need to guess what Blu meant by that sentence, but he couldn't have. Jewel shook her head, hoping and praying he didn't mean what she already knew he meant."Blu? Please tell me you didn't bring them the flower and the watch."

"Oh, on the contrary, I do hope he has," broke in another deeper, more intimidating voice. Blu averted his eyes, filled with pleading and apology aimed towards Jewel, to the falcon who now took one step closer to Blu. The sight of the evil bird made Blu want to cower in fear and rush him all at the same time. Angel stood up straight and tall, almost to display his superior height to Blu. He towered at least half a foot above the Spix's macaw. Besides this, Angel held a confident smile on his beak, the tip of which looked as sharp as a fishhook. A shiver ran down Blu's spine as he imagined his flesh being swooped up and attached to the vicious falcon's beak.

For some reason which Blu could not place, Angel appeared more put together than did Javier. Every time Blu and Jewel faced the military macaw in the jungle, he acted like he was a little bit mentally unstable, making rash decisions and just barely controlling his violent temper. But here, Angel looked to be in complete control. He crossed his wings and tapped his massive talon atop the still as ugly as ever, mustard-colored carpet as if he didn't have a care in the world.

Blu didn't want to admit it or show it on his face, but the falcon's careless demeanor unnerved him the tiniest bit. Could it be that Angel was so much better than him when it came to strength and skill in fighting that he didn't even believe he would break a sweat in a fight against Blu? No. Blu shook his head and told himself that this could not be. If Angel really though Blu didn't pose a threat to his twisted plans, he would not have gone to the trouble of kidnapping Jewel. Blu outsmarted him time and time again. This was the falcon's way of resorting to desperate measures to get what he wanted. Blu would not fall for his false bravado. By the end of the night, Angel would be going down one way or the other.

The Spix's macaw continued to observe Angel's movements. His heart rate picked up the pace as he noticed the falcon change the direction of his step back towards Jewel. He paused mere inches from her right and placed a large, black and white wing on his chin, as if he was trying to decide which item to choose off a shelf. The way he looked at his wife as if she were nothing more than an object to be bought made the blood under Blu's feathers boil. He curled his wings into fists and decided to raise his voice. He needed to assert some dominance here and let Angel know before any fighting began that just because the falcon got him to show up didn't mean he could push Blu around forever. Blu pointed an accusing wing towards Angel and yelled in the most threatening tone he could muster. "Get away from her! I'm not giving you anything until you stand way over there," he said while indicating with his other wing to the far right wall of the house."

Jewel turned her head away from the leering falcon, wishing she could lash out at him in some way. If need be, she planned to bite him with all the force she could manage after being up all night and running on low energy. She held a fierce scowl on her beak and looked at the bird out of the corner of her eye. "Don't you dare touch me. Get your filthy body away from me you psycho," Jewel growled.

Angel held up his wings in surrender and took a few steps over to where Blu designated, however, he would not give the macaw any respect by following his orders to the tee. Rather, he stopped about halfway and looked back over to the Spix's macaw with an amused smile on his beak. This disgusted Blu more than anything and only served to fuel his hatred for the falcon. His enraged glare grew harder as the falcon chuckled and spoke in a playful tone. "It's no wonder you Spix's macaws are on the verge of extinction. You're all wound so tight that your blood pressure must be through the roof! What's the matter, Blu? I can't take a turn on your precious wife. She's a real pretty bird, finest Spix's macaw I've seen in a long time-"

"Don't you dare talk about her like that!" Blu screeched, starting to run over to Angel, his fists up and ready to strike. In his blind rage, however, Blu had completely forgotten about the entire plan he and his friends set up as well as the presence of the other bird in the room at the moment. This bird would slam his waiting fist right into the side of Blu's face, causing him to cry out in pain and careen a few paces over to the sofa.

Jewel let out a horrified gasp, her eyes becoming as wide as saucers. "BLU!" she yelled, fearing that Manolo inflicted a serious wound on him. She whipped her head around to face the hookbill who just stood where his wing made contact with the innocent bird, the same arrogant look upon his face. Jewel just could not understand these birds, how they could so willingly hurt others.

She shook her head, tears beginning to brew in her eyes as Blu started to get up off of the floor. The sheer force of Manolo's blow cut open a decent sized gash along Blu's left cheek, drops of blood now trickling down his feathers and staining the already cruddy carpet below. Surrounding the wound itself was an ugly ring of purple and green, no doubt a nasty bruise already began to form from the upset blood vessels.

Blu struggled to catch his breath and regain his sense from the vicious first attack. His heart sank as the full weight of shame and humiliation rested upon his soul. How could he be so foolish as to let Angel get in his head like that? The falcon didn't even throw one punch yet and already Blu had been knocked to the ground, a wound on his face. Things would only go downhill from here if he continued to make poor decisions. He could not let his emotions cloud his judgment. Blu needed to focus on stalling for time while his companions made their way here. His ears perked up as he thought he heard the sound of metal clanking somewhere in the ceiling above him. All he could do was hope and pray they were indeed close by and that his mind wasn't playing tricks on him.

He didn't have any more time to ponder the possibility of his friends' imminent arrival as the sound of wings smacking together drew his attention once more to the two villainous birds in the corner. Blu looked up through his swollen eye, a tear slid down his cheek from the pain despite his wanting to maintain a tough image, to see Angel applauding him in a mocking manner. This time however, Blu did his best not to let the bird get under his skin. From what Blu gathered from Ana, Angel was a master manipulator. Blu refused to let the falcon toy with his emotions, thought such a task proved to be easier said than done when your wife sat on the floor tied to a coffee table.

"Come now, Blu. Is there really any need for all this violence?" Angel held a huge grin on his face, completely enjoying every minute of the macaw's anger. The falcon loved nothing more than being in control. Soon, he would hold more than just one bird's life in the palm of his wing. In mere minutes, the whole city of Rio would be under his control. From there, he would not stop until he ruled everything there was to rule. His power would continue for centuries. "If you'd just let me obtain the items at your little party last year, I would never have needed to do any of this. Why must you insist on causing more bloodshed?"

"You're sick!" Blu shouted, his temper once again beginning to grow out of his control. He couldn't help it. Something about the falcon just completely turned him off. Even though they'd never met in person before, it was as if Angel possessed some type of unique power where he already knew everything that made Blu tick. "You're the worst kind of villain, you know? At least Javier had the decency to admit to all the horrific acts he committed. But you? You don't take any responsibility, do you? You somehow manage to blame the whole world around you. You're the eternal victim!"

Angel merely shrugged his shoulders, not fazed by Blu's psych analysis in the least. "I will not lie, I don't see the point in owning up to my mistakes seeing as I make so few. However, clearly one of my less brilliant ideas seems to have been choosing that wretched macaw Ana to be a member of my team. I should have known that being a female she would never have the stomach to perform such repulsive deeds as are required when one seeks to conquer a people and enslave them."

Jewel rolled her eyes, disgusted by the falcon's blatant disregard towards the female sex. She narrowed her eyes at him, her voice ringing out in a bitter, sarcastic tone. "Ah, seems like you've had your share of relationship trouble. Lady too smart to put up with your massive ego?"

For the first time that evening, Angel's mask of patience chipped. Though only for a moment, Jewel caught his body twitch with unbridled hatred and anger. She smirked to herself knowing she'd discovered one of his well-hidden weaknesses. However, she chose not to capitalize on it now while she remained in captivity. This knowledge could prove to make a good distraction once the real action of the battle began.

The falcon clicked his beak in annoyance and stepped over towards Jewel. Before the Spix's macaw could even register what he planned to do, Angel clamped one of his mammoth talons around her neck, choking off any oxygen from reaching her lungs. Jewel tried to claw at Angel with her talons but the lack of her wings combined with her already fatigued body due to an inadequate amount of rest prevented her from putting up much of a fight. Her breath only exhaled in small gasps as she struggled to move her neck from his iron grip, his strength unbelievably high being a bird of prey. Jewel's tongue jerked in and out of her beak as she felt her oxygen levels dropping. If Angel wanted to make a point, he'd made it. So why didn't he released her?

A wicked grin blanketed his beak as he turned towards Blu, his eyes gleaming with a sadistic pleasure from forcing Blu to watch him strangle the life out of Jewel while he could do nothing to stop her. "Ah, another thing about females. They just never know when to show up. It is a pity, she had such a beautiful face. I'd hate to see her flesh peeling away from her face at the bottom of a river, leaving behind nothing but pale white eyes and yellowing bones!"

Terror seized every fiber of Blu's soul. He wanted to rush at Angel and tear him off of his wife, but he knew Manolo waited nearby, ready to pounce should Blu attempt to interfere. Blu would not just sit idly by however. He screamed out in a panic-stricken voice, his eyes practically doing all the begging for Angel to let Jewel go, though he knew this was futile. "Let her go, please! She has nothing to do with this!"

Blu reached into a ruffle of his feathers as Jewel's face began to turn a dangerous shade of purple. Her eyes began rolling into the back of her head, exposing the blood vessels underneath. Blu cursed himself for submitting but he could do nothing else. Jewel, the love of his life, his precious lovebird was being murdered in cold blood inches away from him. The two objects he now held in his wing were the only things which would tame the savage, unfeeling, truly despicable falcon.

His voice devoid of any emotion except crippling despair and his head hung low in shame, Blu tossed the pink flower and golden watch to the falcon. Both items landed at the bird's talons, but they barely hit the ground before he swooped them up into his clutches. Angel released Jewel's throat from his relentless squeezing talon, allowing Jewel to inhale desperate gulps of air. Left behind was a hideous red scar along her neck. It stuck out among her gorgeous coat of blue feathers and would likely not heal for months at least, serving as a cursed reminder for Angel's triumphant win at that moment.

While Jewel's color returned to normal, the falcon held up the objects to his face, a look of immeasurable greed and lust for power in his eyes. He began to cackle, a cold, diabolical laugh which sent shivers of horror down the spines of both Spix's macaws much to their discontent. Angel raised his wings in victory and continued to laugh, his eyes shining with insanity, obviously deep in thought about all the birds whom he would soon bring to their knees with his might.

The falcon rushed over to the ancient mini fridge next to the television behind Jewel and threw open its white, lumpy textured door. He reached in and eagerly pulled out what to Blu's disgust appeared to be a heart. The organ, having been there for so long turned brown and filled the room with a putrid odor that made Blu become overwhelmed with nausea. He turned around and bent over at his waist, emptying the contents of his stomach onto the carpet below, his vomit only further adding to the terrible smell in the area.

"At long last, three of the four wretched items are mine!" Angel walked back over to where he'd stood the minute Blu entered the living room. He looked up towards the peeling brown paint on the ceiling and pointed an accusing wing at it as if he condemned its ugliness. Rather, he damned a spirit unseen to the eyes of those living who did not know the falcon personally. Thus, they merely looked on with great confusion. "You thought you could stop me by shattering the device we worked for so long to construct! You thought by hiding its power in these four cursed objects you could halt my inevitable tyrannical rule! But my dear Isabella, you have failed! And now, from your seat in the afterworld, you will be forced to watch as I bring untold amounts of suffering onto the pathetic creatures in this abomination of a city that you betrayed me to protect!"

The falcon threw his head back and once more let out a bloodcurdling cackle, unable to contain his excitement towards the havoc he would soon wreak any longer. Only one more item remained and it laid closer than any of his companions knew. Not even Manolo knew its location. It would be a showstopper alright, an event none of them would soon forget. But first, Angel needed to deal with the bird who'd been a thorn in his side since the moment he arrived in Rio. Once Blu met his painful demise at his talons, nothing would stop Angel from taking over. The city would fall and evil will have won at last.

Before he could charge towards the Spix's macaw and snuff out his life force however, a crashing sound from above startled Angel and completely shattered his mask of composure. He clenched his wings into fists and formed a savage snarl with his beak as if he could sense what was occuring already. "No," he growled, "No, it cannot be!"

Just then, the metal grate which sealed off the air vent above the couch whose color matched Blu's puddle of vomit on the carpet, was shoved from its hinges by a massive pink and white wing. It landed with a loud THWACK atop the sofa's hard, uncomfortable cushions. Not even a second later, the tall, slender figure of a familiar spoonbill fell alongside it, landing perfectly on his webbed feet. He let out a sigh and swiveled his neck around to crack the muscles which had been tangled into knots from being trapped in such a tiny space for so long. "God," he said, "remind me never to do that again."

"Amen to that," agreed a certain red crested cardinal who burst forth from the vent on Kipo's heels. He narrowed his eyes towards the falcon who stared at the pair of birds soon to be joined by a tiny yellow canary and a large toucan. All of them glared at Angel, clearly intent on mopping the floor with him, freeing Jewel from her restraints, and then catching up on some well earned Z's.

Angel's face turned four darker shades of purple as his anger grew to unsafe levels. He could not believe it. He'd thought of everything, and yet each time he could taste victory these infernal birds snatched it right out of his wings. He curled his wings into fists and narrowed his eyes into pools of pure hatred for the kind, fearless birds who just wanted to protect their home. "You stupid birds just don't know when to quit! Why must you insist on interfering with my plans? I have had it with the likes of you!"

Blu turned his black eye towards the group of four birds who returned his gaze with embarrassed smiles, feeling a little silly over having made such a dramatic entrance. Pedro in his usual casual manner even waved at Blu excitedly, getting Blu to smile and return the gesture. He then walked over and fluttered up onto the couch, both Angel and Manolo never taking their eyes off of him. With each step he took, their anger only grew and Jewel's grin only widened. She'd never been more proud of her husband. Truly over the past two years since they'd met he had grown into a strong warrior of a bird. The awkward, nerdy shell he once hid behind had been broken down for good, never to return again. She adored this new confident Blu, one who would do anything for her, and she would do just the same.

Blu now faced the two cold-hearted birds and lowered himself into a fighting stance. His four friends, standing slightly behind him on both his left and right sides followed his lead. The Spix's macaw narrowed his eyes with determination, only wincing a little at the pain which came from moving his injured eye. Blu just hoped this uncomfortable sensation wouldn't affect his performance in the upcoming battle. He needed all the strength he could get, even with the advantage in numbers. "You ask why we keep interfering with your plans Angel, but you already know the answer. They are wrong. You want to take over the entire city and rule innocent birds with an iron talon. You want to control every aspect of their livelihood and completely bring ruin to Rio, a place of love, laughter, and best of all, samba."

This last word earned him cheers from the two smaller birds behind him. Blu grinned for a moment and then continued. "We will not let you take away what makes our city so unique and wonderful and allow you to replace it with everything that represents darkness and evil. We are as Pedro would say, The Realest Heroes in Rio, and we will stop you. However, I've never willingly hurt another bird if there was even the slightest chance they could change their ways. Do as your former soldier Ana did, give up your life of evil and live a life that any falcon could be proud of. We'll give you and Manolo both a chance to walk out of this building right now and live in peace. Should we hear about you causing trouble elsewhere however, we won't hesitate to stop you."

Something in Angel's eyes changed in that one moment. He looked at the female Spix's macaw whom he brought to his home against her will and tied her up with no regard for her life. Then, he bowed his head in shame. Blu could hardly believe it. It appeared that the falcon actually regretted the actions he performed that night. Wings to his sides, Angel began walking towards Blu, his head still facing the ground but Blu could see the sorrow and guilt in his eyes. Blu smiled as the falcon hopped up onto the couch and took a step back to give him room. Angel then lifted his head up once more and looked Blu in the eye. Before Blu could congratulate him for making the right choice however, Angel's cruel hate-filled expression returned, and the falcon leaned in and spit with defiance right in Blu's face.

Everyone except for Manolo gasped with shock upon seeing the heinous deed Angel did just then. They knew the falcon to be capable of some pretty violent works, but they never thought he would stoop this low before. Kipo began to see red he felt so angry. Letting out a savage growl, the spoonbill began moving forward to knock the falcon all the way to Sao Paulo. However, Blu held up a single wing to halt his advance.

The Spix's macaw calmly wiped the saliva from off of his beak and just stared at the falcon with more disappointment than he ever felt in his life. _Some birds just cannot be saved, _he thought, _for the rest of his life he will regret this one moment; he just does not know it yet. _Angel let out deep breaths of air, his hot breath making contact with Blu's feathers. Blu did not shrink in anger or fear. He just waited for the falcon to say whatever he needed to. "I would rather die than admit defeat at the wings of birds worth less than the dirt underneath my talons. You better hope you perish in this fight tonight Blu, because if you don't, I will torment you for the rest of your days. You have made an enemy out of me that only one bird has before and you will suffer in ways not even your worst nightmares could have allowed you to dream up. Now, fight me! Fight me, you pathetic coward so that I may humiliate you in front of your friends and precious wife!"

Blu shook his head, dismayed but if he needed to protect his loved ones, then he would. "So be it then, Angel. Please, hit me with your best shot."

Angel needed no second bidding. He cackled with sheer delight and dealt a vicious blow right into Blu's beak, knocking him back into Kipo's wings. Blu let out a cry of pain as he began to feel thick pools of blood building up in his nostrils. His brain rolled around in his skull as he tried to recover from that first, emotionally charged punch. Angel leaned backwards and cackled even louder than before. He shook out his feathers and formed a sadistic grin on his beak. "Oh, that felt good! There's nothing like clobbering the bird who has been a pain in your tailfeathers for the last two years! But if you think that was bad Blu, just you wait! You haven't even begun to suffer yet!"

"Oh yeah, well if that feels so good, feel this!" Angel whipped his head to the side in time to see the toucan launch into action, a fire of rage burning within his eyes. He swung a large wing towards the falcon which Angel ducked, his skill in fighting over the years clearly present. However, Rafael had been in his fair share of bar fights as well, and his second punch made contact with Angel's stomach, causing him to let out a sharp breath of air.

The falcon lost his footing and fell off of the sofa onto the carpet. He landed on his back and groaned, lifting a wing to rub the sore spot on his head. His eyes widened as he looked up to see both Rafael and Kipo preparing to leap on top of him and subdue him. Elusive as ever though, Angel rolled to the right just in time to dodge their massive wings.

Seeing that the two birds were beginning to gang up on his boss while Blu recovered from Angel's merciless blow, Manolo waited no longer to join the fray. He ran forward and locked wings with Rafael, while the falcon, the second biggest bird in the room dealt with Kipo. Pedro and Nico attempted to distract one of the villainous birds each by kicking their backs or pulling out their feathers in various places. Unfortunately, their vastly smaller size prevented them from doing much to help in the fight.

Rafael and Manolo grunted with frustration and agony as they tried to hold each other off and gain the advantage in the fight. Their pretty much even size and level of strength made it difficult for either to gain the upperhand. However, this didn't mean neither went without suffering any injuries. Punches and kicks, even the occasional bite made contact with each bird's body. Before long, each bird held their fair share of cuts, bruises, and welts along their chest, limbs, and faces.

Rafael moved his head to the left, narrowly missing a throw of a wing from Manolo. He took the opportunity to swish around the blood in his mouth, which began to pool in there from a wound on his jaw, and spit it onto the carpet below them, leaving a dark red stain there. The hookbill smirked, amused by the pain the toucan appeared to be in and decided to get in his head a little bit. "Ah, just like old times, eh old buddy? Your mom always used to warn us when the games would get rough," Manolo shouted as he clocked Rafael in his bill once more with his ruthless advances.

The toucan growled with rage at the very mention of their past friendship. The hookbill changed so much from those times he now considered to have never even known him. "I'll never understand what happened to you from the time you left Rio to now, Manolo. I can't even recognize you anymore. That loco falcon over there twisted your brain around and then some."

Manolo grinned, eager to share a few memories of the period of his life he spent in Mexico City. After all, while there he performed many of his most brutal murders. Unfortunately, before he could open his bill, he received a devastating kick to the gut from Rafael which knocked the wind out of his sails. Manolo let out a shocked gasp and bent over at the waist, struggling to catch his breath. Before he was able to though, Rafael followed that move up by clapping his wing on top of Manolo's head, filling the bird's brain with a sense of confusion.

The hookbill swayed with dizziness and collapsed to the floor. He stared up at Rafael who returned his gaze with a look of disapproval and shame. Manolo just chuckled while his thoughts continued to run into each other. The blow to his head really knocked him out of commission there. He mentally applauded Rafael for that, but if the toucan thought he achieved defeat there, the bird had no idea. Manolo held a trick or two up his sleeve yet.

"Oh Rafi, the reason you'll never understand what happened to me after I left Rio is because I never told you." His brain now beginning to clear, he noticed Rafael's fists lower and his expression became curious as well as fearful. The hookbill could almost feel the toucan's increased heart rate pounding within his chest, announcing his terror to all who stood in the room.

Manolo got off of the ground slowly but held his wings up in surrender so that Rafael would not decide to strike him while he told his story. The toucan backed Manolo up against the sofa so that he could not escape or try any funny business. As long as Manolo didn't make a move, Rafael wouldn't do so either. The toucan was a bird of honor; he never fought dirty or at least never made the first dirty move.

While the hookbill began relating his story about all the ways he believed the world wronged him, Blu at last began to recover a little from the hard blow to the face he suffered. For the last couple of minutes, he kept his eyes closed, seeing only darkness but feeling the world move around him. This sensation caused him to become nauseous all over again, but now he felt eternally grateful that the sick feeling in his stomach had passed.

The Spix's macaw opened his eyelids ever so slowly. One who saw the display could have almost imagined a door opening with a loud, ear-grating creaking noise. Once his eyes opened all the way, Blu looked from right to left, letting out a gasp of horror. To his right, Manolo and Rafael appeared to be in some kind of heated argument. This didn't concern him nearly as much however as the fierce battle occurring between Angel and Kipo to his left. The falcon struck the spoonbill repeatedly with his large wings, a focused glare on his face. Clearly, he didn't want anyone breaking him out of his focus.

Blu swallowed a nervous gulp and brought one of his talons to his beak, chewing on his claws to calm himself. His eyes continued to dart from side to side, a headache from all the stress and two merciless punches to the face he suffered. Kipo was getting the crap beat out of him, cuts and bruises covering his whole body. Blu set his face in a determined mask and clenched his wings into fists. He cursed himself silently for sitting on the couch almost unconscious like an idiot. This was his fight after all to save Jewel, and he wasn't doing anything to contribute.

At that moment, a lightbulb went off in Blu's head. He looked from right to left once more, a delighted grin spreading across his face. Then, his chocolate brown eyes homed in on his female counterpart, still tied up but now totally unguarded. Blu's heart began to pound as he attempted to stand. _Now is my chance. I can save her right here, right now. We'll come back for the items at a later time when one of them isn't here. All that matters is that Jewel makes it home alive. _

When Blu at last got up on his talons, he almost fell right back on his tail. His legs still felt like jelly after having his senses knocked right out of him. But he refused to let this stop him. He wouldn't fail now, not after they'd come so far, not after his friends put themselves in danger for him. It was time to bird up and get the job done.

Blu hopped off the couch, fighting the pain in his head which pounded like the chest pumping electronic music Pedro and Nico often played in their club. He wobbled over to the coffee table, wiping blood that kept dripping out of his nostrils due to the direct impact to his beak. Blu snuck a glance over at Manolo and Angel. Though they were only about a foot away from him in opposite directions, both were too preoccupied with their respective opponents to notice his movements.

The Spix's macaw allowed himself a relieved sigh but knew he needed to hurry. He increased the length he covered with each step until at last he covered the distance to the coffee table in the room's center. Jewel, who'd been watching his progress over, lifted her gorgeous blue eyes to meet his and formed a smile so sweet that it melted Blu's heart and made him feel like they never left their home that morning.

"Hi there Pet," she whispered as Blu got to work sawing through the thick cord which bound her wings with his beak. "I guess I should've listened to you when you told me not to walk outside the club, huh?"

Blu smirked but resisted the urge to chuckle so he didn't attract any unwanted attention. After a few more seconds, the binds split in two and Jewel brought her wings in front of her chest. She let out an exhausted breath and formed an excited grin, overjoyed at the prospect of being free once more.

Jewel shook out her wings to rid the of the numbness which plagued them after being stuck in one position for so long. Finally, she could use them to pull Blu into a long, grateful hug. Blu returned the gesture eagerly, hugging her tighter than ever before in his life. He feared for so long that he would never get to see her again. Blu thought he would no longer be able to feel the softness of her feathers, to look into her beautiful eyes, to kiss her beak as if no one existed in the world but them. However, now he'd done it. He'd managed to save her, and everything would be alright.

Jewel brought a wing to Blu's face and caressed the side of his cheek where Manolo had struck him in the eye. The very sight of her husband injured broke her heart in two and made her feel every ounce of pain he suffered through. She moved closer towards him and planted a kiss on the site of his bruise, bringing an instant sense of peace to the male macaw.

Jewel now felt a tear sliding down her cheek, but she did not move to wipe it. Instead, she continued to look at her husband. "Blu, I am so sorry that you all needed to come here tonight." She looked around at the rest of their friends, still locked in combat with the evil birds. "You shouldn't always have to risk your life to save me. First the plane, now this. You don't deserve to have to go through so much pain, and I don't deserve you."

Blu just held his wife closer to him and spoke as their beaks touched. He knew she felt bad about him needing to rescue her, but Blu also knew who was really to blame and Jewel had to hear it. "That isn't true Jewel and you know it. I came here tonight because I love you more than anyone else on this planet. Our friends, Linda, nobody matters like you do to me. I would do anything for you Jewel. Even if that meant I had to die, I would give my life for you. You're everything to me. Without you, there would be no reason to go on."

"Well, except for the kids," Jewel reminded him with a smile.

Blu bowed his head, feeling his cheeks turning pink from embarrassment at having forgotten something so obvious but he smiled all the same. "Yes, of course." He moved a stray feather from her crown out of her eyes so he could see them better and then winked at her. "Besides, consider this payback for when you saved my clumsy butt from Javier at our anniversary party."

Jewel giggled, her face beaming with happiness. She always felt this way around Blu, an emotion she never thought she'd feel again after the loss of her former life. Jewel could wait no longer. She pulled Blu's beak to hers for a long, passionate kiss. In that one moment, the entire world fell away from them and the two macaws were alone in an endless void of white. Nothing could touch them or interfere with their great love for one another. Together, they stood strong, impervious to any force of evil.

But then, something did interfere.

Rafael let out a terrified shriek which shattered the blissful moment shared between the two macaws. They broke apart within an instant and each spun around to see what made the toucan scream louder than they'd ever heard him do so in his life. The piercing yell also attracted the attention of Angel and Kipo who broke out of their stalemate for the time being to see what was the matter, A collective gasp arose out of every being present excluding Angel. The falcon's cruel, vicious grin simply widened, impressed with his hookbill accomplice. "Well, well, well, would you look at that? Seems like it was a good idea to save Javier's knife under that couch cushion after all."

The toucan tried to back away in fear but the two birds had been standing too close to each other when Manolo slipped his wing under the cushion during his fake sob story and withdrew the knife. Taking advantage of his opponent's distracted state, Manolo tripped the toucan so he fell with another yelp onto his back.

The hookbill wasted no time. He stepped over to where Rafael lay panting with fear and crushed his chest with one of his webbed feet to keep the toucan pinned to the ground. Manolo smirked at Rafael, amused at having gotten the upper hand so easily in their little conflict. He laughed to himself and traced the point of the small, lethal dagger across his wingtip, wanting to feel the sharpness which would soon find itself embedded into Rafael's heart. Manolo then turned to Angel, pointing with the knife to where Blu and Jewel stood by the table. "You know that he untied her right?"

Angel eyed the two Spix's macaws and nodded his head. "Yes, I knew it the whole time. I just decided to make them think they had a chance at escaping my clutches. No matter how many times they lose, the fools just never quite seem to learn that I cannot be outsmarted." Angel waved a wing towards the hookbill, giving him permission to carry on with his actions. "I'll deal with them in a moment. For now, I want to see you slice this toucan to pieces!"

Manolo formed a grin so heartless and sickening that it looked to belong to that of the Devil himself. Rafael just stared up into the hookbill's face, the bird whom he once called friend would now be his murderer. For the first time in a long time, the toucan shed tears, thinking about how devastated his children would be when they learned they would grow up without a father. And Eva, what about her? She loved Rafael more than anything. Though they fought on occasion, they never stopped loving each other. And now he would be taken from her by a bird with no morals, one who was nothing but a cold-blooded killer. He just couldn't fathom it.

The hookbill shrugged his shoulders as he raised the knife in the air to deal the final blow to his victim. "Looks like this is where we part old friend, but don't worry, I'll make sure we kill your wife when we're through here. That way she won't have to suffer without you." With that, Manolo tilted the direction of the blade's tip so that it would cut diagonally across Rafael's stomach when it made contact, and swung.


	14. 14 The Fourth And Final Item Revealed

**Chapter 14: The Fourth And Final Item Revealed**

For the longest time it almost seemed like not a soul stood in the disheveled living room of the abandoned home where the evil falcon named Angel oversaw the operations of his team. Not a sound could be heard anywhere in the vicinity, the birds all frozen into shock at the sight which befell them. Blu most of all couldn't bring himself to make even the slightest noise. He just stared at the large bird before him, who now possessed a mammoth, deep slash across his torso.

Meanwhile, the eyes of the bird whose wings held the blade which would undoubtedly take its victim's life, widened to the size of saucers. A short gasp exited the orange bill of Manolo, shocked by the outcome of his actions.

As Manolo swung the blade towards Rafael, aiming to end his life within a single motion, he failed to notice the movement of another bird towards the duo, both of whom had been fighting for the last ten minutes while Blu untied his loved one. Kipo, abandoned the spot where he'd taken up the task of holding off the falcon boss himself and leaped in front of Rafael, taking the full swipe of the knife's deadly attack.

The spoonbill let out an agonized cry as he stumbled away from the hookbill a few paces, the distraction giving Rafael a chance to jump off of the mustard colored carpet and join Blu and Jewel a safe distance away near the coffee table. Thick pools of blood gushed out of Kipo's stomach, and he placed one of his massive white wings over his wound in a futile attempt to stop the flow of his very life force. He collapsed onto the ground and writhed with pain, never in his life did he feel such a terrible sensation. It felt as if someone lit his skin on fire, the stinging from the open wound as a result of its exposure to the outside elements unbearable for him.

Only about a minute later, Kipo's deep, panicked breaths slowed little by little until they stopped altogether. His wing, now completely covered in blood and resembling the deep-red feathers of a scarlet macaw dropped from his stomach into the resulting puddle of blood beneath his body. For the rest of time, Kipo's eyes would lie open as well as his bill. Never again would he be able to dance to the music of samba or have the chance to live his life as his deceased girlfriend Ana told him to do. Rather, he sacrificed his life for his best friend, so that the toucan would be able to go home to his wife that day and care for his children. Meanwhile, Kipo would spend the rest of eternity in the afterworld with his beloved Ana, something he surely considered before choosing to take the full brunt of the attack for his friend.

However, his selfless gesture didn't occur without its fair share of consequences. Rafael looked upon the body of his friend, his lifeless eyes staring back into Rafael's. The toucan could barely breathe. He didn't know what to do. Every part of his body told him to scream, charge, cry, to do anything. But Rafael couldn't even manage to move. He'd been frozen into silence, into inaction. A year ago he may have witnessed the death of another bird, a blue and gold macaw named Ana, but that hadn't been personal at all. Here, Rafael lost a dear friend of his, someone he'd known for many years. Worst of all, he gave his life so that Rafael might live.

Though he wondered if he should feel relief, Rafael didn't feel anything of the sort. Instead, he felt the cold clutches of guilt wrap around his neck, choking the life and happiness out of him. From that day forward, Rafael would never be the same bird again. He now understood how it felt to be Kipo when he watched his girlfriend die in his wings. The toucan just wanted his friend back; he wanted to undo what just occurred. If there was some way to go back in time and alter the course of the future, he would take it in a heartbeat. How could Rafael go on knowing what his friend gave up for him today?

Manolo all the while, just turned the tip of Javier's old knife around and around in his dull brown wing, appearing to be mesmerized by the steady drip of blood from the point. To the untrained eye, it might seem as if nothing different happened to the hookbill's face. Little by little, however, a sick smile began to form on his bill, until it stretched into a wide grin. He opened his bill and let out a despicable cackle, taking pride in his vicious deed. "Well, well, well, though it would appear I didn't get to rob the life of my intended victim, my efforts did not go unrewarded. At long last, that fool of a spoonbill lies dead at my talons. Such a shame that he needed to die, but once again, the loyalty to his friends appeared to be his downfall. What a fool."

He raised the knife to Rafael, who just stared at him, white-hot fury coursing through his veins. This psycho murdered one of his best friends in cold blood. Kipo, a bird who never did anything that was unkind to anyone. Sure, he may have made the mistake which led to Jewel's kidnapping, but he'd been bird enough to apologize and even help with the rescue operation to make things right. Now Jewel was untied and ready to be brought back home. However, not without Kipo paying the ultimate price.

Rafael clenched his jet-black wings into fists, his breath huffing out of his bill in large, angry breaths. His eyes narrowed into dangerous slits of pure hatred for the hookbill who clearly was beyond any form of redemption. From the day he'd met Angel in Mexico City, he hadn't stood a chance. The falcon was like a disease which spread to any bird he came in contact with, destroying any good creature they may have been before. He warped their minds, turning them into sadistic monsters like himself. He deserved to die. If Angel continued to live, more innocent birds would meet their end. The toucan would not let that happen. First he would kill the hookbill and then the falcon. Their plague of evil needed to end.

Before Rafael could take a step, however, the voice of a bird from behind him caught his attention. The toucan spun around and raised an eyebrow in surprise, hearing Blu telling Jewel he would handle this. Typically, the Spix's macaw shied away from all forms of fighting. The only time he'd seriously joined in on one of the battles had been during the struggle with Javier at his and Jewel's anniversary party last year. Tonight, he hadn't even thrown one punch against either Manolo or Angel, and look at what happened. Rafael understood why, Blu had been doing other things after all, untying Jewel. But just look what occurred now, Kipo lay dead. What effect could words possibly have against unfeeling monsters like these birds?

Blu took a step away from Jewel, the female Spix's macaw desperately trying to hold onto her Blu. Her face scrunched up with sorrow, her stunning sapphire eyes silently pleading for him to stay with her. She couldn't lose him like they'd lost Kipo. Not now, not when they were so close to going home. They should just leave the compound, she thought. Come back and fight both of them another time, preferably somewhere less crowded. Staying here and trying to do something would only lead to more lives lost. Why wouldn't he listen to her? Why wouldn't he just stay back?

But Blu couldn't be deterred. He approached the two villainous birds with more determination in his eyes than ever before. His wings curled up into fists and his heart pounded within his chest. Not from nervousness, however. For the first time in his life, Blu didn't feel any sense of fear. He knew the right thing to do and would no longer let these birds walk all over him.

He should have done this a long time ago. He should have put his talon down and stopped them, rather than letting all of this blow out proportion. He might never get another chance; things would only get even worse. As Blu stalked closer, he reminded himself that despite the morals he held, they needed to be disregarded in this situation. Unless he killed them first, they would murder the rest of his friends and they wouldn't stop there. They would continue with his wife and children until they disposed of every bird he'd ever cared about and loved. Blu couldn't live with himself if he stood idly by and allowed that to happen.

When Blu stood just mere inches away from the hookbill, Manolo rolled his eyes at the Spix's macaw. This foolish bird posed no threat to him. The hookbill was a trained fighter, while he knew Blu had never been in a slap fight, much less a real one. He would mop the floor with this pathetic excuse for a bird and further intimidate the rest of his and Angel's opponents. By noon, the two would rule the city of Rio de Janeiro. These birds needed to face it. Their plans just could not be stopped.

Manolo laughed in Blu's face as the Spix's macaw at last stood still,taking no further steps toward him. He dangled the jagged edge of the blade in between Blu's eyes, dried blood now crusted onto its tip, threatening to crack off and fall onto Blu's feathery coat. Blu made no motion to back away however. If the hookbill thought this would scare him, he was sadly mistaken. Nothing would frighten Blu, not anymore.

"Well Spix's macaw, we meet again. I bet you're seriously regretting making me one of your newest friends, huh?" Manolo enjoyed every minute of this, mocking the fool of a bird for all of his poor decisions and failures to protect his friends. He practically beamed with delight over the destruction and pain he'd brought upon the happy-go-lucky group of birds. "You're all so pathetic, thinking you could actually pose a challenge to our evil." He gestured towards the dead body of Kipo, sprawled out across the ground, blood still continuing to seep out of his wound, though with much less force than when the knife first sliced into his feathers. "Surrender now, you and the rest of your little posse back there and I promise I'll end your life with a simple slash across the throat. You will all bleed out in half the time your little friend did over there, and then Angel and I will be on our merry way." He stuck out his wing for Blu to shake, a cruel smile blanketing his bill. "What do you say, bird? Deal?"

Blu snickered at the outstretched wing of Manolo's. Before the hookbill could react, Blu latched onto the bird's wing with a grip of iron. Manolo's eyes widened, not expecting the scrawny-looking Spix's macaw to possess such brute strength. It simply could not be possible. How could he wield such power on his own? No, this wasn't all coming from within him. Manolo had stupidly antagonize him enough where the adrenaline built within Blu's systems, powering him to be able to take on the heartless bird before him.

Blu didn't waste time speaking to the hookbill who did his best to wave his wing which held the knife within it. Unfortunately fro Manolo, this wing was currently in Blu's vise grip and he refused to let go. Blu simply smirked upon realizing that he held the hookbill right where he wanted him and that Manolo no longer seemed so cocky. In fact, was that an increased heart rate Blu could now hear? He fancied that he felt a certain trembling sensation course across his feathers as he held onto Manolo's wing. The bird feared him, that much was obvious. This fact seemed ironic to Blu, for moments ago, he'd been getting ridiculed by the hookbill for the lack of an adversary he'd proved to be. Oh, how Blu would soon prove him wrong.

Manolo's beak began to lose its arrogance and it formed a worried frown. He raised his eyes to Blu's and looked dead straight at him. His voice rang out in hateful snarl, trying to assert his dominance over Blu and let him know that despite what he felt inside, he did not fear Blu. "Let go of me you imbecile, now!"

Blu cocked his head to the side, his amused smile never leaving his beak. He tapped his chin with the wing not currently holding Manolo against his will, pretending to mull over the hookbill's demands. "Hmm, let me think about that one." Then, Blu did something that five minutes ago, no one in the room would think him capable of doing. He jerked his wing sideways, snapping the main bone in Manolo's wing in half. Blu's cruel smile merely widened, pleased that now they were getting somewhere. "Here's my answer, no."

The loud, sickening crunch of bones breaking reverberated to the room, causing everyone in the sound's vicinity to scrunch up their faces in disgust. Everyone that is except for Angel. Strangely enough, the falcon did not make any move to remove Blu from his henchman. None of the heroes in the room took notice of this fact, but Angel actually hid a tiny smile on the corner of his beak as he witnessed Manolo suffering in pain.

The feeling of his wing separating into two halves internally made Manolo clench his beak in agony. His face looked as if it was ready to explode into a scream, which, a few seconds later he did. The cry which left Manolo's bill was so loud, it was a wonder that all of the neighborhood birds nearby who still slept through the morning didn't wake up collectively and answer his anguished yell.

Blu dropped Manolo's wing and stepped back a pace, while Manolo himself let go off the knife in his wing. He could no longer hold it in either wing. One lay completely useless and now twitched beyond his control from the numerous damaged nerves, while he used his other wing to cradle the injured one to his chest.

Tears began to fall down Manolo's cheeks, for the pain was unbearable. He looked upon Blu with pure and utter hatred for the macaw. His voice rang out in a furious growl as he condemned the macaw for his justified actions. "How dare you?! You miserable macaw! My wing will likely never heal from this! I will never be able to fly again!"

He turned towards his falcon friend now who just stared at him with zero emotion in his piercing green eyes. Manolo let out his breath in short gasps, the horrific pain impeding his ability to breathe. His stomach tightened into horrible knots, waves of nausea crashing over his body as he tried to deal with the jolts of pain hammering his wing. The hookbill fell to his knees, yelping in pain as he continued to plead with assistance from his employer with his eyes. For some reason, Angel would not walk over. Manolo could not take it anymore. He opened his bill wide and yelled with great difficulty. "For God's sake Angel! Can't you see I'm suffering here?"

Manolo turned towards the Spix's macaw, a burning hatred in his eyes. He desired to see this bird suffer a slow, painful death more than anything. Oh how he would love to see Angel wrap his large black and white speckled wings around the macaw's throat and rag doll him a good one right on the carpet. Then, he wanted the falcon to pluck out his feathers one by one and skin Blu with his razor sharp talons until he bled out all over the carpet just as Kipo had. Manolo would have done all this himself had the bird not played dirty and incapacited him when he wasn't ready.

Finally, Angel began to make his way over to where Blu confronted the murderer of his friend. Blu's wings only curled tighter as he shot daggers with his eyes at the evil falcon, the bird whom he despised more than any other in his entire life. This was the bird he wanted to kill, not Manolo. While Manolo did many horrible things in his life, most notably killing Kipo, he'd been a good bird once upon a time, a friend of Rafael's in fact. But then he met Angel who stole his soul and implanted a desire to hurt others within him. Blu would make sure the falcon paid dearly for this crime.

But when he arrived, Angel did something which caught Blu off guard. In fact, it filled him with a cold sense of dread which trickled down his spine, turning his stomach upside down. Likewise, it frightened the gathering of four birds behind him who let out a collective gasp and covered their wings with their beaks, eyes wide open in disbelief. Blu backed away slowly to join them, unable to believe what he was seeing.

The falcon bent down and took out Kipo's watch, one of the two items Blu had been forced to give to Angel earlier that morning. He then shoved Manolo to the ground whose head hit the carpet with a sickening thud. The hookbill screamed in pain and horror once more as he felt a large welt beginning to form on his head from the new injury inflicted on him. Manolo stared up into the falcon's demonic looking eyes, a grin more wicked than anything he'd ever witnessed while knowing him upon his beak.

Manolo almost knew exactly what fate would soon befall him, and yet he did not want to accept it. He fought the outcome with every fiber of his being. He thought that perhaps it wasn't too late to talk some sense into the falcon, to remind him of what they'd spent forever planning for. His breath continued to come out in short gasps as the figure of Angel loomed over him. "Come on Angel, don't do this. I have not failed you yet. I'm just a little hurt. It will heal in time, especially when I finally get to taste the share of power I am owed from the completed device. We will rule together, you and I. Please forgive me for my minor failure here. I will spend the rest of my life making it up to you if you just grant me the chance to do so."

Angel smiled and patted a comforting wing on the hookbill's shoulder. For a minute, Manolo thought that maybe he's succeeded in getting through to the falcon. He knew Angel would see it his way. The falcon wasn't stupid by a longshot. He knew how and when to apply common sense. But as Angel spoke these next few sentences, the color from Manolo's dark green face began to drain ever so slowly until his head was nothing more than a sickly, pasty white.

"Oh Manolo, that does sound all well and good. However, there is one thing false in your reasoning. We will not be ruling together; in fact, I never planned for that to be." Angel nodded his head as a thank you towards Blu. "The Spix's macaw over there simply did half of the job I would need to do once all four tiems came into my possession. This may be occurring a little sooner than I had planned, but no matter. It still does me more good than anything to murder you now."

Manolo shook his head wildly, an incomprehensible amount of terror in his eyes as Angel proceeded to wrap the long golden chain of the watch around his falcon's evil grin widened to the point it nearly broke his face and he let out a vicious cackle as he yanked the chain tighter and tighter, cutting off all oxygen to Manolo's lungs. The hookbill thrashed around on the floor and attempted futilely to pry the cord from his neck with one good wing. The sharp metal cut into Manolo's skin, causing thin rivers of blood to trickle down his chest.

However what really did Manolo in was his inability to breathe. His face turned red, then purple, and then blue as the oxygen levels in his blood grew dangerously low. His eyes went from their normal white color to increasingly more bloodshot until the veins in his eyes swelled so much that some of them popped, blood now leaking from his eyes as well. At last, Manolo's one good wing dropped from his neck and his head fell limply to the side. His tongue hung out of his beak dumbly, purple and swollen from the lack of oxygen it received. Dried blood caked on his facial feathers as well as on his chest from the gash the chain cut into his neck.

Satisfied with his work, Angel let out a tired sigh and carefully unwound the watch's chain from his former henchman's neck, ensuring he didn't damage the object he needed for the final stage of his plan. Meanwhile, the group of five friends just stared at the deceased bird, unable to comprehend the beyond evil deed they'd just witnessed before them. The hideous sight of Manolo's dead body made each one of them sick to their stomachs, to the point where Nico emptied the contents of his belly all over the carpet to his left.

Jewel narrowed her eyes at the falcon, blood boiling rage building up within her veins. This bird was truly unbelievable. He held no value to any form of life. He was just pure evil, without any form of morals at all. If there was ever a bird which embodied the characteristics of the Devil himself, Angel was it. Unable to contain her emotions anymore, Jewel let out an ear-piercing screech which caught the attention of each and every bird present. She pointed an accusing wing at him and shouted: "How could you do such a thing?! He worked for you, never questioned one order you gave him! He held more loyalty than any other bird I've ever seen in my life and this is how you repay him? You murder him in cold blood!"

Pedro nodded his head in agreement. He patted the back of his canary friend and held him tight as Nico cried into the cardinal's chest, unable to tolerate any more death or wickedness in such a short time span. Pedro shook his wing at the falcon, his voice ringing out in a rageful hiss. "That was not cool bird! In fact, that was just downright awful! You don't even deserve to walk in this city! You need to walk your ugly feathery butt out of this house and into the bay where we'll never have to see you again!"

Blu bowed his head down to the ground, a tear slid down his cheek from one of his chocolate brown eyes. He just could not believe a bird could be capable of such heartless acts as what he'd witnessed tonight. Two cold blooded, senseless murders, but the second was so much worse, for it was an act of betrayal as well. He looked at the falcon, a deep sense of shame in his eyes. Blu always tried to see the good in every bird he came across, but for Angel there just didn't appear to be any trace of that quality within him. "You really are pure evil, aren't you?"

At first, it looked as if Angel didn't plan to dignify Blu's question with an answer. However, his stone cold expression morphed into an insane smile, amusement shining in his eyes. He began to cackle, slowly at first and then louder and louder, chills of total fear running down the spines of every bride present in the room. He truly struck fear into their hearts. For all of Blu's bravado earlier in the battle, every ounce of it left him in that moment. They'd now seen just what the falcon was capable of, and deep down, they knew they could not stoop to such a savage, brutal level.

Angel at last stopped laughing and wiped a tear from his eye. He walked over to the door which housed his office and leaned against it, all the while not taking his eyes off of the birds in the room for a second. "You see Blu, that's just the thing. I was actually quite different once upon a time. I still remember my days as a chick, full of excitement for all that the world had in store for me. But I soon learned one thing. The world as a whole is an evil and unforgiving place. At its root, it is imperfect. The fact remains Blu that no bird is born evil; the world changes you. Little by little as you grow older, it breaks you. As you age, your innocence is shredded, your hopes crushed, your dreams shattered until your heart becomes colder than a block of ice, until you hold no emotions for any other creature. It is kill or be killed in this world my friend, and the sooner you learn that, the better."

Jewel stalked toward the falcon and narrowed her eyes at him. She got so close to his face that Blu became nervous and pulled her back. She nodded her head at the falcon, utterly disgusted with every word he spoke. "You know what Angel? That is the biggest load of complete and utter bullcrap I have ever heard in my life. Guess who completely destroyed my innocence? Shattered my hopes and dreams? You did buddy, you and your little gang of heathens. And guess what else? I didn't turn out to be cold and evil. I turned out to be one of the nicest birds in the world because I opened my heart to the light, to a bird who cared about me."

Jewel took a moment to turn towards her mate, the bird she loved more than anyone else in the world. She smiled at him and Blu returned the gesture. The two nuzzled each other's beaks, unable to sense any of the darkness around them. When they were together, their love shielded them from all that. This was something Angel was clearly always lacking in his life. "Don't tell me no bird ever loved you the way Blu loves me. What was the name of that bird you spoke about earlier? Your dear Isa-"

"SILENCE!" Angel roared, the veins in his forehead ready to burst with the fury burning inside of him. Nico and Pedro cowered in fear at the sight of the deranged bird, so angry they could literally see his jaw working. However, Jewel didn't seem to be intimidated in the slightest. She just stood there, defiant to his demands, unwilling to give into his evil. Not now, not ever. She would fight for everything that was good in this world until she died. She would never let this monster control Rio.

Angel cackled, losing his patience and what little sanity he possessed by the minute. He pointed a shaking wing at Jewel, his deranged eyes burning into her very soul. "A bird like you could never understand my past or my motives. But you will submit to my will. For soon, I will be the ruler of this land and I will reform it as I see fit! Be that through genocide, enslavement, torture, whatever means necessary! Sometimes to cut off the throat of the deadly serpent which poisons the minds of every creature in this world, you need to be just as evil and ruthless as the beast you are fighting!"

"You're insane," Rafael breathed, hardly able to believe what he was hearing. This lunatic really believed himself to be some kind of savior who would wipe out the evil in the world when really he was no better than the villains he believed to be harming him.

The falcon shook his head. "No, I am actually very sane. For I have seen the worst of what birds can do, slaughtering thousands of innocent creatures just because of prejudice. I have seen the kindest birds in the world beaten to a pulp and assaulted by those closest to them! But when I am in charge, no one will dare to break the law. They will be in such fear that they would never even try to commit a crime. It may take time but soon order will be established in the world. The first few generations of birds may just need to die off first, but no big deal."

Jewel laughed incredulously at this bird, unable to believe what she was hearing. "If you seriously think we're going to let you get away with any of this you are clinically insane, which you are, but you get my point."

Angel licked his beak, getting tired of fighting with these simpletons who were clearly too stupid to understand what he was trying to accomplish. He took a deep breath and smiled, tapping two of his wingtips together in an attempt to distract himself so that his temper would calm. "My dearest Jewel, you won't live to see any of my new order come to be, for your sickeningly pure heart is the fourth and final item I need to set it in motion."

At the mention of this, all the color in Jewel's feathers drained. She began to shake with terror and placed a wing over the spot where her heart would be. Jewel rapidly shook her head again and again, not willing to accept the words which hit her beak. That was why he'd captured her in the first place. It wasn't just to get the other items. He never planned to let her leave this building again. Rather, he planned to murder her and extract her heart just as he'd done with Javier. "No," she whispered.

The wicked look in Angel's eyes grew and he nodded his head. "Oh yes," he said. "You see, the flower and watch were really the easy objects to get my dirty little wings on. But the hearts of a pure bird and a tainted bird were much harder." A faraway look came into his eyes as if he was reflecting on times long gone by as he said this next sentence. The great and powerful Isabella truly underestimated how far I'd go to complete my plans. I think a part of her always thought I would give up on my goals in favor of seeking a life of peace as she set out to find." Suddenly, Angel threw one of his wings into the wall in a fit of rage, leaving a massive dent in the plaster. "The fool! There will be no such thing as peace on this Earth until I am done with it! Only after I rid the world of all the evil and hate which penetrates it will birds finally be able to live their lives happily."

Blu stepped next to his wife and took his wing in hers. He stood strong and proud, feeling like he had a bigger responsibility than any bird ever possessed in their lives. He looked at his wife out of the corner of his eye, trembling, afraid that she would be struck down in another remorseless act of murder, the third of the day. But Blu would not let that happen. "As long as I live, you will never lay a claw upon my wife. She is everything you aren't. Happy, optimistic, loving, kind, selfless. You are cruel, evil, and do nothing but spread terror to gain respect. If I need to fight you to the death, I will. But until the last breath leaves my body, I will not stop defending Jewel. She is everything to me."

All of a sudden, Blu felt a wing on his shoulder. He turned to his right and saw his best friend in the whole world by his side, the toucan named Rafael. Despite the sadness over losing one of his closest friends still lingering in his eyes, Rafael still formed a confident smile and nodded at the Spix's macaw. "I will be by your side every step of the way amigo. Until the heart of this old bird gives out, I will fight for your family. No harm will come to Jewel if I have anything to say about it."

Upon his other wing, Blu felt two sets of tiny talons dig into his shoulder. He turned his head in the other direction and his eyes became filled with tears of happiness ad he noticed Pedro and Nico smiling at him as well. "Blue bird," said Pedro, "you know we'd do anything for you and your hot wing. You can count on us."

Nico nodded his tiny yellow head and twirled his bottle cap hat around on his wingtip. "Hell to the yeah. Together, we'll kick this ugly bird's butt, no doubt about it!"

The teardrops began to fall from Blu's eyes as he looked from left to right, his friends huddled around him and Jewel under the protective hold of his wings. It was crazy. Most birds would have bailed by now, especially after seeing a member of their team get slaughtered right before their eyes. He truly didn't deserve their kindness and friendship. The three birds were literally the epitome of everything that was good in the world, further discrediting Angel's insistence that the world was evil and corrupt. He'd just been blinded by his earlier hatred, unable to see the goodness which still remained in the world.

"Thank you," Blu said, unbelievably touched by their pledges of allegiance to protecting his wife from the sadistic falcon. "Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I love you guys. You're all the best friends I could ever have; you really are." The three birds just waved their wings dismissively at Blu, ensuring him that it was nothing. Together as a group of five, they joined wings, standing tall against the single evil bird who stood before them.

Taking note of their unity, Angel felt a strange sensation deep within his heart, an emotion beginning to form which he hadn't felt since he was a little chick. Fear. He backed up into the doorway of his office, seething with rage with every step he took. He pointed a trembling wing at them, his eyes glowing out towards them with pure hatred for everything they stood for. Everything they said and did contradicted his views. They all threatened everything he'd spent his lifetime working towards. One by one, they all needed to die. But not today. As a group, they were powerful. But alone, Angel could kill them all. "It sickens me to say this, but you all have won for today. Mark my words though, I will never stop hunting her down. You all will never be able to sleep soundly or live out a moment of your lives in peace so long as I am alive. I will kill Jewel and I will take over this land. You have not seen the last of me, not by a longshot."

Before any of the birds could react, Angel slammed the door in their faces. Blu gasped and flew upwards to open the doorknob. As he turned the brass object in his talons, he shouted to his friends below. "Guys, I can't do both motions at once. When you all hear the knob click in place, open the door from the bottom. He's only delaying the inevitable. When I went in that room to find the flower last year, there was no way out. We'll stop him; just you wait."

"We're on it Blu!" Rafael shouted, giving the Spix's macaw a thumbs up.

"On the count of three," announced Jewel, a sly smirk on her beak as she positioned herself by the door to pull it open with her friends. "One, two-"

"Three!" Blu shouted.

As he said this, all the birds heard the brass doorknob Blu held in his talons click into place. At that moment, the other four wrenched the heavy wooden door open with all the might they could manage. It took a few seconds, but eventually, the door swung open, allowing the gang to all rush inside. However, the sight that greeted them caused their hearts to rocket into their throats. They nearly fainted from horror upon realizing what awaited them on the other side of the doorway. "No," breathed Jewel, "this isn't possible."

But there was no denying what they saw. On the far wall, just above the black silicon shelf which wrapped around the length of the room, a large chunk of the room's cinder-colored wallpaper had been slashed off the walls, the paper hanging from it in long strips. Behind the covering lay a hidden window, now open allowing the beautiful morning sunlight to stream into the dreary room. Unfortunately, the pleasant weather and sights did little to relieve the icy grip of terror which embraced each of their souls as the full weight of this new fact hit them with the force of a runaway train.

Angel had escaped and he was out there, somewhere in Rio. Waiting, biding his time until he could leap from the shadows and hunt them all down.


	15. 15: Fight or Flight?

**Chapter 15: Fight or Flight?**

From the gaping hole in the wall, a warm, inviting breeze blew into the abandoned building where a group of five birds stood. Through the half-opened window, fabulous rays of orange morning light streamed onto their faces. The cheerfulness of the new day following the terrors of the thunderstorm from the previous night mocked the birds who now peered out into the streets of Rio, unwilling to believe what just occurred.

The first to break out of his daze was the bird who led his friends to this very building to save his loved one. Blu shook his head, slowly at first, but his speed increased as he crept closer to the far side of the small room where the window was located. He flapped his wings a few times to flutter onto the single, bare shelf and then walked over to the window to see out of it better. Blu knew his reasons for doing this wouldn't be accomplished by sticking his head out into the morning air and seeing the same sights he could from his former position on the floor. However, he needed to do something to distract himself from the feelings of failure which he could feel starting to take hold of him once more.

He bent his head downward so that his chin rested on top of one of the edges of the window. Blu let out a defeated sigh and struggled to hold back tears which he knew would be falling from his eyes later. A part of him just wanted to throw in the towel so badly. No matter what he and his friends did, they could never get ahead of the villainous falcon who'd disrupted their lives for the past two years. They hadn't even really defeated his right-hand bird, Manolo. Angel did that for them by using Kipo's watch to strangle his former accomplice.

Now the falcon was nowhere to be seen, hidden among the countless buildings in Rio, likely regrouping and plotting when he would strike the heroes once more. Three of the four items he needed to complete his plan now existed within his grasp. Angel only missed one thing now, which just so happened to lie within the chest of Blu's mate. Just thinking of this fact made Blu want to vomit right out of the window onto the concrete sidewalk which made up the desolate alley below him.

Blu knew that if any bird looked at his face right now, they'd be very worried about his mental state. The area around his chocolate brown pupils appeared red and bloodshot rather than white, and large indents existed under Blu's eyes from his lack of sleep. One of his eyes also still felt hard and swollen from the blows he'd received from both Manolo and Angel in that region of his body. Blu felt like he was about to pass out, both from exhaustion and the several injuries he'd endured in sensitive areas of his face. The one thing that kept him going now was the realization that the falcon would stop at nothing until he murdered Jewel and extracted her heart for his twisted schemes. If it meant that his wife would be safe from harm, Blu would never sleep again. He'd do anything to protect her, even if it meant losing his own life.

Realizing it was pointless to continue trying to find a bird who'd flown far away from the house ages ago, Blu sighed in dismay once more and turned around on the shelf. He took a few steps forward and then hopped off of the ledge, wincing at the slight shock of pain which shot through his legs as they made hard contact with the ground. He clenched his beak in frustration over having weakened himself more, even though the effects would be temporary. _Stupid, why didn't you just glide down? It's the little things you do like this which Angel exploits and uses against you. You'd better shape up Blu, or he is going to win, and you will be nothing but a single father who doesn't even want to get out of bed let alone raise four chicks._

The second Blu raised his head to look his four friends in the eye and Jewel took in his tired, humiliated face, her heart melted with sorrow. Jewel could feel tears forming in her sapphire-colored eyes and a rush of longing to be held within the wings of her mate. He needed her to feel better. They both needed each other more than ever now; their lives had now gotten so uncertain and dangerous. The two of them just saw one of their closest friends get cut down in cold blood while attempting to save one of their other companions from the same result, and now they knew the falcon's end goal was for Jewel to end up just like Kipo.

Deep within her bones, Jewel could feel the emotion she detested the most running through her. She despised any form of fear, even its slightest influence, because it reminded her of how she felt when she needed to run through the jungle, all alone for years without even a little knowledge of how to survive. But now, she could feel the instinct she'd been able to bury since meeting Blu in the aviary returning with full force.

Jewel may have been able to defeat Javier at her and Blu's anniversary party a year ago, but she'd been very lucky that night. The evil military macaw had been preoccupied with her mate when she snuck up behind him and inflicted a fatal wound which later ended his life. The chances were that Jewel would not get so lucky when it came to fighting the falcon, especially since he would be aiming head on to try to stab her right through the heart.

The female Spix's macaw bowed her head, beginning to feel hopeless. She needed to face facts that since meeting Blu, she hadn't been keeping up with her fighting skills and self-defense. Now, however, she needed this knowledge more than ever. Angel was a bigger opponent than any jungle creature she ever came across in her years roaming the Amazon alone. It was imperative that she began to train and refresh her memory about all her old techniques, but the real question was did she have the time? Jewel's heart pounded harder as she realized the answer to this question was no. Angel could attack them at any minute. He knew where they lived. They weren't safe anywhere from his ruthless hunting.

Rafael's eyes darted between the two Spix's macaws. His stomach turned over as the tension within the tiny room began to suffocate him. He could tell that both birds wanted to embrace each other to feel comforted after this devastating blow that the universe dealt to the group of friends, but neither knew how. It almost seemed like after so much loss, it made them forget what happy times were like, the way they felt when they first met each other. Now the two had been driven apart by their embarrassment towards their weaknesses and their failures to keep their loved ones safe.

To tell the truth, such a realization broke the toucan's heart in two. He loved every aspect of Blu and Jewel's relationship. Watching the lovebirds grow in their romance and pass over the milestones of getting married, having kids, their first anniversary made him feel young again. It reminded him of all the memories he'd shared over the years with Eva and allowed him to relive those occasions but through watching his friends experience them. Seeing how broken the two looked now and the walls that Angel erected around the two made him sad, but also angry. The bird's fists clenched almost without any effort on his part for the desire to make the heartless falcon pay for all he'd done to his companions.

Rafael also knew though that he couldn't beat Angel to a pulp at the moment. Instead of wasting his energy thinking about something which he could not accomplish in the present, he decided he would channel his soul into something much more productive: cheering his best friends up. Rafael took in a big breath and let it out, preparing himself to put on his best matchmaker persona, the one that made a big difference in bringing the couple together in the first place.

The toucan walked between the two and stood in the middle, not facing either of them directly. He crossed his wings behind his back and peered at both Blu and Jewel out of the corners of his eyes. Both remained with their heads looking toward the ground, too upset to acknowledge the other's presence. Rafael knew this would be tough. Both of them needed a major pep talk. For a minute, his confidence in his abilities faltered but then he reminded himself who was the love expert in Rio. If he didn't succeed here, Pedro and Nico would have something to tease him about for the rest of his life.

He snuck a peek at the two small birds, hovering by the doorway between Angel's office and the living room. The canary and cardinal stared at him with wide eyes full of fear. Their afraid looks gave Rafael all the encouragement he needed to continue on with what he was about to say. They were counting on him; the toucan would not let them down by being too nervous to open his bill.

Rafael brought a wing to his bill and cleared his throat, a gesture which did not cause either Spix's macaw to stir in the slightest. They remained still as if they'd been frozen in time. The toucan turned his head from side to side, a look in his eye that both suggested pleading for them to listen and pity for all they'd suffered. "Mi amigos, I know that this evening wasn't a success by a longshot, but-"

"It was a complete and utter failure," Blu muttered in a tone so low it was scarcely audible.

Rafael scrunched his eyes shut and let out a deep sigh. He knew that every word Blu spoke was true and yet to hear it said aloud just poured salt into the wounds their self-esteem already endured. He wished that the Spix's macaw, who often proved to be quite cynical in times like these the toucan discovered, would just keep quiet and let him say what he wanted to say. Perhaps if Blu waited a bit before tearing him down, he could say something that actually improved the team's morale. "Yes Blu, I'm aware that a lot went wrong, but we can't give up!"

The toucan spoke this sentence in a voice that came out as desperate and inside he condemned himself for sounding so weak. But Rafael could barely find the confidence to continue their resistance against the falcon either. What could they do? He possessed strength and intellect far superior to theirs. Chances were that if their paths ever crossed again, they wouldn't have a prayer. Rafael bowed his head as well, a tear beginning to fall from his eye. It landed on the floor without a sound, but its movement didn't go unnoticed by Blu who lifted his head at last to look at the toucan.

Rafael moved his head up slowly as well and Blu's sorrow-filled stare. His eyes shining with more tears that had yet to be shed and his face lined with wrinkles of despair, the toucan whispered: "Our families are counting on us. If we quit now, they'll-" Rafael couldn't finish his sentence. He covered his eyes with his black wings and sank to the floor where he put his head in his lap. He continued to weep silently while his friends watched in awe.

Nico and Pedro in particular could barely believe their eyes. Each bird looked at the other for a split second trying to gauge the other's reaction. Never in all the years they'd known the toucan had they seen him so upset and afraid. They may not have had a wife or kids, but they had each other. If something ever happened to Pedro or Nico, both birds knew the other would be devastated, for they'd hung out with each other since forever. To lose one of them would be like losing a part of themselves. But this is what lay on the line if Angel had his way.

Blu, likewise, couldn't bear to see his best friend so upset. Within his mind, he continued to berate himself, his guilt continued to climb over all the hurt he'd brought upon his friends. If it hadn't been for his needing to rescue Jewel, Kipo would still be alive and none of them would be here right now. Nobody would be in tears or ready to fall apart from terror. They would have retrieved their kids from Rafael's hollow ages ago and everyone would be asleep in their respective homes. But Blu just had to drag everyone into this mess.

He shook his head, his eyes narrowing with determination. _No more, _he promised himself. _I will no longer be responsible for causing my friends any pain. Enough standing on the sidelines and allowing this to happen. I'm going to find a way to fix this problem, and save us all, no matter what it takes. _Blu walked over to the toucan, his every step he could tell was being followed by his mate. But Blu could not think about her at the moment. Right now, he needed to tend to Rafael. The toucan had to know that everything would be alright because at that very second, Blu developed a plan within his head, a foolproof plan that would guarantee their safety.

The Spix's macaw bent down at his best friend's side and placed a large, dark blue wing on Rafael's back to comfort him. The toucan's body winced at the sudden, unexpected touch, but just as quickly Rafael relaxed. Blu allowed the toucan to get all his tears out of his system for a couple more minutes. No one rushed him when he sulked at the window; he would allow Rafael the same luxury.

Eventually, it seemed that all the tears in Rafael's body had been spent, and the toucan lifted his head once more from between his legs. He turned his neck to face Blu, his eyes now just as red and dry as those of the Spix's macaw. A wave of sorrow washed over Blu upon witnessing the sad state his friend was in. Without a doubt, this night had been the worst any of them ever experienced.

A questioning look passed through Rafael's eyes, but the look in Blu's silenced him from voicing his wonders. Blu just seemed so sure, so certain of what he was thinking that Rafael felt wrong to interrupt his concentration. Thus, he stayed silent as Blu opened his beak. "Don't worry Rafi, our kids and Eva will be alright." The Spix's macaw averted his gaze from Rafael and fixed it upon his mate, who now watched him intently, her stare containing a mix of curiosity and fear. Clearly, Jewel was still recovering from the blow they'd all taken moments ago. Blu gave her a reassuring smile, his confidence being restored by the minute now that he possessed a sound plan of action, one that he knew would save them all. "I know this because tomorrow night we're all going to be leaving Rio… for good."

Now, had any bird not been paying attention before, every cell in their brain now tuned into the words Blu spoke. Rafael's head jerked up to face Blu, Jewel's beak dropped to the floor, and Nico and PEdro zoomed over to land right next to their toucan friend. Jewel, her mouth now close after her initial surprise, began to walk over to where the remainder of the group stood, all surrounding Blu, looking up to him as their leader once more. The female Spix's macaw stepped around Rafael and stopped to her mate's left. She took his wing off of Rafael's back and held it within her own. Peering into his eyes, Jewel searched them for any sign that he might not be serious or that he could be joking, but she could find none.

Blu just looked at her, a smile on his face as if he were focused on her beauty and nothing else that just happened. Jewel couldn't believe this. Could her husband really be suggesting giving up? Leaving behind the city that they'd called home for the last two years? For their other three friends, Rio held an even bigger place in their hearts. Rafael, Nico, and Pedro almost never stepped out of the city's boundaries, and now Blu suggested abandoning it forever. "Blu," she said, "You can't be serious."

"Yeah Dawg," Nico said, his voice filled with disappointment. "You can't honestly think running away is the answer. We love Rio. This city is everything to Pedro and I. What kind of birds are we if we abandon it when it needs us most?"

Blu broke away from Jewel and moved to where he could face all four of them. Gesturing with his wings to them to emphasize his point, Blu continued to make his case for why this would be the best plan. "Think about it guys. Angel can't do anything to hurt Rio and its inhabitants if he doesn't have Jewel's heart. He needs that before he can do anything else. If we run, the chances are that we'll never run into him again. South America is a massive continent. We go somewhere remote and settle there; he'll never find us. We'll all be safe and so will the city. However, if we stay, what's stopping Angel from attacking us when we least expect it. He knows where we all live. He could either murder Jewel in her sleep, or kidnap one of our other loved ones as ransom."

Blu paused to take a breath. While doing so, he took another moment to judge the reaction of his friends to what he'd said so far. They all looked to be deep in thought. Though looks of disgust continued to permeate their faces, Blu could also tell they were really considering what he proposed. When they really took the time to weigh the facts, it all made sense that fleeing was the best way to go. Staying meant certain death and put the city in danger. If they ran and hid, well, things might just turn out different.

The male Spix's macaw bowed his head so that if nothing else, he garnered some sympathy points when they all revolted against his hated idea. Placing his wings together in a manner reminiscent of a human praying, he concluded his speech. "I know that leaving behind everything most of us have known for so long may be the hardest thing anyone has ever needed to do, but it really is for the best. If our kids are going to have a safe and secure future, they need to live elsewhere. If we stay here, we'll forever be looking over our shoulders wondering when Angel will attack us next. And if we take the fight directly to him, there's no guarantee that more innocent blood won't be shed. We've already lost Kipo. How many more lives does this monster need to take before we realize we're fighting a losing battle. Guys, face facts, we need to leave."

He sighed and turned around, knowing that none of them would agree with what he said no matter how much sense the plan made. They were all just too stubborn. None of them ever listened to reason no matter how many times he presented it to them. In the end, their compassionate hearts and passion for their city would cost them their lives. Blu loved Rio too, but he loved his friends and family more. If it meant starting over somewhere new, he'd do it in a heartbeat.

Suddenly, he felt a wing upon his shoulder. Turning his head, his chocolate brown eyes came face to face with Rafael's. Blu opened his beak, preparing to say something to the toucan, but Rafael merely silenced Blu with his intense stare. Blu could not read the toucan's expression, so when the toucan began to open his bill, anxiety embraced Blu's soul. He couldn't even begin to predict what he would say. "Let's go to my house Blu, meet up with your kids, and get some rest. Tonight, we'll tell Eva and everyone they have twenty-four hours to pack their bags and that we're moving."

Blu's eyes became as wide as saucers. He looked from the toucan to his other three friends who stood further away. The Spix's macaw tried to read their faces for any trace of reluctance or discontent with the decision Rafael voiced but he found none. They all looked to be in agreement, albeit less on the parts of Nico and Pedro, whose heads hung in silent mourning over having to leave the city they'd built their whole lives in. Blu almost didn't want to ask this next question now that he'd earned the toucan's assent, but his conscience prevented him. He would never be able to sleep at night if he didn't know for sure that Rafael and the others really wanted to make this decision. "Are you all absolutely sure you're okay with this?"

Everyone nodded their heads, much to Blu's amazement. Jewel began to step toward him once more, a smile on her beak for the first time since Kipo met his end and their attempt to put a stop to Angel's evil plans went downhill. Rafael looked over his shoulder and, witnessing her approach, gave her a smile and moved away to join Nico and Pedro. Jewel took his place and raised her eyes to Blu's willing with all her might the negative emotions which clouded his mind to go away and stop troubling him. He was such a kind bird, always putting the pressure of everyone else on his shoulders, making all the tough calls. Jewel didn't envy the position she and her friends often put Blu in, but she also knew no one could do it as well. They all looked up to him, her more than anyone. If he said this was the right thing to do, chances were that it was.

Jewel placed a wing on his cheek, and Blu rested his head on it just as she hoped he would. He closed his eyes, struggling not to cry with joy over feeling her touch. The thought that their most powerful enemy wanted to take her away from him absolutely shattered his heart and made him want to shrivel up and die. Every moment he shared with her he knew now could not be taken for granted, for their future was threatened now more than ever. Jewel leaned her head in until it made contact with Blu's. Speaking in the sweet, angelic voice which made Blu's heart swoon ever since she sang to him in the samba club, Jewel said: "Yes Blu, I'm sure. As long as I get to grow old with you and the kids, I don't care if we're living on the other side of the world. Being in Rio isn't what makes this place so special, it's you."

Blu let out a short laugh, his eyes filling with tears at her kind words. His heart swelled with happiness at being so close to her. He'd nearly lost her tonight and was in danger of that happening again. To hear her talk and feel her feathers against his was a gift he just could not get enough of. He looked over her shoulder at the two smaller birds, wondering if they would announce that they would not be joining the remainder of their friends wherever their adventures took them next. After all, Nico and Pedro didn't need to come with them. They had no wife, no kids, nothing really in danger. They didn't have to leave behind the business they'd worked so hard to build up. Blu would miss the fun they brought to his life terribly, but he understood if they didn't want to come.

But to his surprise, the cardinal and canary looked at each other and shrugged their shoulders. Turning back to face their friends, both smiled and Pedro took it upon himself to voice what both birds thought. "We can always start the samba club up again somewhere new. Who knows? Maybe we can make it even more hippin' and hoppin' than it was before!"

Blu laughed, so grateful that all his friends were with him at this terribly depressing moment. Only they could manage to make him feel a little bit better when he felt like he had lost all hope. He felt so relieved that wherever life took them next, they would all be together as one group, the way they had been since he first explored the city of Rio. The four of them all gathered around him, waiting to hear what he said next, Blu grinned for the first time all night and nodded his head. "Alright then. Let's get out of here and fly back to Rafael's grotto. When we get there, we're all going to get some rest because we've been up all night. Then, we're going to decide where we're going to head. Sound good, everyone?"

A chorus of the word "yes" resounded in response. Blu nodded his head once more, his eyes now fixed upon the half-opened window which formerly served as their downfall but now acted as nothing more than a convenient escape from this hellhole. Blu hoped that never again in his life would he need to set talon in this place again. "Then without further ado, let's leave this place. Just being here makes me feel sad."

Everyone nodded their heads in agreement, and one by one, they flew out of the window on the far wall of Angel's former office. As they exited the abandoned building, the group of five friends couldn't help but feel deep down in their hearts this would mark the start of a new chapter in their lives. After this, there would be no going back. Everything they knew before would soon change. They were no longer the heroes of Rio. Rather, they would just be average birds living in another region. Though, of course, they had yet to determine exactly where that would be.

However, had they not been flying behind Blu at that moment, they would have noticed something about him. On his beak, he held a big smile and appeared to be more at peace with himself than ever before. If they'd been able to read his mind, they would have discovered one thing. Blu felt happier than ever to be free of the responsibilities of a hero to the city. He didn't want to carry that much weight on his shoulders, nor did he want to spend every waking moment of his day stressing over whether or not the plan he concocted in his mind would be enough to thwart Angel's diabolical schemes.

Blu just wanted to be a normal bird, living a normal life with his children and the love of his life, Jewel. And at last, that, which had become nothing more than a dream of his over the past two years, would soon turn into a reality.


	16. 16 Dance Away the Darkness

**Author's Notes:**

**Hello Everyone! Two things today. First, an apology for this chapter being quite late. Last weekend, (when I usually write), I was unable to. But guess what? I will be off school for Thanksgiving break this week! And that means, extra chapters to make up for it ;)**

**Second, this chapter features a song which means I have to provide credits. The song is called **_**Hate That I Love You **_**performed by Rihanna and Ne-Yo, written by Stargate and Ne-Yo. **

**I strongly urge all of you that when you reach the part where Jewel first says: **_**That's how much that I love you, **_**to look up the song on Youtube or whatever and listen to it as you read. I feel like you really have to hear the song to really get the full effect of the chapter. **

**I think that's about it from me though. I hope you all enjoy the chapter. As always reviews aren't just welcome, they're encouraged! :)**

**Chapter 16: Dance Away The Darkness**

Later that night, the sun set on the city of Rio, leaving in its wake a breathtaking night sky illuminated by countless twinkling stars. The peaceful scene provided a much needed respite from the cloudy, moonless picture the storm from the previous evening painted. Not a trace of humidity pervaded the atmosphere as humans and birds alike settled down for a good night's sleep, all looking forward to beginning another joyful day in the land of samba and fun.

However, just outside of the circle of buildings and roadways, hidden by a thicket of tall trees and other vegetation, some unusual activity was going on in a certain clearing of grass. On the edge of this safe haven, lay a tree with a hollow cut out of it, perfect for a bird or two to live in. At the moment, though, more than just two birds squeezed into the limited amount of space the enclosure contained. Twenty-eight birds to be exact.

When Blu, Jewel, Rafael, Nico, and Pedro all arrived at the toucan's grotto that morning, Eva rushed to greet them, her eyes more worried than any of the birds ever saw her in their lives. Before Rafael could even lift a wing to say hello, she'd rushed into his large, black wings and hugged him tight, a tear starting to fall from one of her eyes.

Rafael opened his beak a little bit, surprised at the sudden display of emotion from his wife, but he recovered quickly, his eyes softening and his strong wings returning the hug. When the two birds separated at last, Eva explained to Rafael that when none of them returned earlier that night, she'd gotten more and more afraid that something horrible happened to them. The smile which the appearance of Eva brought to his beak for a moment disappeared as Rafael recalled where they'd just all came from. The toucan assured Eva that he would tell her everything that happened, but first he and the rest of their friends needed to get some sleep. They all felt about to fall over.

Though dismayed over having to wait to get some answers, Eva nodded her head and gestured to the many nests on the far wooden wall of the tree where she, Rafael, and their many chicks slept each night. The five would-be heroes eagerly jumped in the beds and within minutes, fell sound asleep.

Now, hours later, the sun had fallen and the adult birds awoke from their slumber. That meant it was time to fill everyone else in on exactly what they'd missed while staying in the hollow tree. While Blu, Jewel, and Rafael took to the task of bringing Eva up to speed, Nico and Pedro were to keep Blu and Jewel's children busy. No one even bothered trying to calm down Rafael's chicks. As far as anyone was concerned, they would just have to ignore them.

Pedro let out a growl of frustration as he struggled to make his way through the throng of misbehaving toucan children, who jumped and zoomed all throughout the tiny area. By the time he reached the far left side of the hollow where Nico and Blu and Jewel's kids sat, he swore that the little hellions ripped out at least a good quarter of his feathers. Brushing off his sides as he joined them, he said: "Yeesh, how does Rafi not go loco living with these crazy chicks?"

Carla chuckled and pulled one of her earbuds out to comment on the snippet of the conversation she overheard while pumping much too loud music into her ears. "A better question is how isn't he bald yet from all the feathers he must lose on the daily."

The rest of the birds all laughed in response to Carla's joke. Nico, sitting to her right, bumped her side with one of his miniature yellow wings. Carla brushed a feather or two away from her eyes and turned to face the canary. Nodding at her with a smile, Nico said: "Sure is nice to see you again Lil' Carly. I got worried for a minute we were never gonna make it out of that nuthouse."

Tiago, who had been busy chasing around one of Rafael and Eva's naughty children, paused and whipped his head around to face the canary. He flew over with the speed of a bullet, hoping to obtain a little bit of information regarding all of the action he missed. "Is it true that bloodthirsty falcon's talons were so sharp that all he did was swipe at Kipo's head and it came clean off?" he asked with wide eyes.

Pedro shivered with disgust and stuck his tongue out at the unpleasant image now stuck in his brain. "Oh bird, why you gotta mess with my head like that? I don't gotta be seeing bits of brain on the floor after I just woke up."

"Ooooookay!" Nico exclaimed, rushing over to clap a wing over Pedro's beak. He turned to face Alicia, whose tiny eyes were beginning to well up with tears. He gave her a sheepish grin and said: "There's nothing to worry about baby bird." Then, turning to Pedro with a glare, he continued: "Pedro is completely exaggerating. Aren't you, Pedro?"

Initially offended at having been rudely interrupted by the canary, understanding now crossed Pedro's eyes and he nodded. Knowing that the cardinal caught his drift, Nico removed his wing from Pedro's beak, allowing his friend to apologize. He reached behind his head with his wing, something he often did when he felt guilty. His cheeks flushing, he looked at Alicia and said: "Yeah I'm sorry there. Me and my big, fat beak." He chuckled and then turned to Tiago, who appeared to be a little disappointed to hear the fight hadn't been as gory as he imagined it. "And to answer your lil' question T-Bird, Kipo didn't bite it like that. He just got skewered trying to keep Uncle Rafi over there safe."

Pedro pointed to Rafael who stood on the other side of the tree hollow, talking to the other three adults in the room while occasionally needing to correct one of his children when they got too noisy or close to where the three were discussing their travel plans. Tiago followed Pedro's wing with his eyes and then nodded his scrawny head. Returning his gaze to the birds, he voiced another of his curiosites. "Uncle Pedro, Uncle Nico, is it really true that we're all moving tomorrow night?"

A tiny squeak of a voice interjected into the conversation before either the canary or the cardinal could speak. "I hope not. I don't want to leave my home. All of my stuff is there. I'll never get to see any of it again." The little cry came from Alicia, who both Nico and Pedro now saw hug her knees to her chest and begin to sob.

The two friends looked at each other, unsure what to do to comfort her. They didn't have any chicks of their own, so this was totally new to them. Typically, whenever they spent time with Blu and Jewel's kids, nothing serious ever occurred. They only served to help the children have fun. Now, however, things were different. A lot of change would definitely be occurring sooner than later and Nico and Pedro needed to step up here while the rest of the grown-ups figured everything out.

Being the one out of the two who was a little better at dealing with more touchy subjects, Nico decided to make the first move by walking over to Alicia and placing a reassuring wing on her back. Since she was the youngest of Blu and Jewel's four chicks, the two birds were actually roughly the same size. Nico hoped this brought some sense of comfort to the toddler. He made a gentle shushing noise with his beak but allowed Alicia to get out all her tears before he said anything further.

While he waited, he looked at Pedro who gave him a thumbs-up gesture with a wing and a big grin, signaling to Nico that the cardinal believed he was doing a great job so far. After a few more minutes, Alicia finally lifted her head to look at Nico, the feathers around her eyes damp with her tears, which ceased to fall for the time being.

The canary's heart sunk in his chest as a wave of pity crashed over him. He felt so bad for the young girl. She was barely two years old and already in her life she'd dealt with so much pain, the most obvious being the time Javier held her hostage at Blu and Jewel's anniversary party, and now this. Nico knew none of this was fair to her, to any of them really, but the fact remained that all this was happening. As much as he wanted to sugarcoat things, he knew that wouldn't help at all. He would just be lying to her. So, Nico just took a deep breath, put on his best calming smile and began to speak to the child. "Alicia, look at me."

The tiny macaw turned her head to face the canary better, her beak trembling with fear at having to leave all she knew behind and jump into the great unknown. She couldn't bring herself to make eye contact with him however; she felt much too embarrassed. Her voice barely audible, Alicia whispered: "I'm just scared. There's these crazy bad birds after us, and no matter what we do, they just keep chasing us. What if where we go next we're no safer? What if they find us and hurt us?"

Nico snuck another glance at Pedro, but the cardinal deliberately didn't meet his eye. The canary let out a tiny growl of frustration under his breath, finally admitting that he would need to handle this all by himself. He only hoped thought that his smile didn't betray the true feelings he concealed within his tiny body. Since they arrived that morning, Nico's heart rate never once calmed to a normal pace. Every couple of minutes, he would look over his shoulder at the entrance to the tree hollow, squinting through the darkness to see if the falcon lurked in the shadows. Angel likely knew about this place and he could be anywhere at the moment. What if he caught them by surprise and slaughtered them all before they could leave town?

Nico's eyes lit up with realization as a benefit to this depressing fact hit him. He could use this in his argument as to why leaving would be a good idea for the group. _But first, _he thought while looking down at Alicia, whose tears started up all over again, _I need to get her to actually look at me. _The canary reached down with his miniature wing and tilted Alicia's teeny chin up to face him. Staring into her huge, sad eyes almost made Nico want to cry too, but he knew he needed to stay strong, for her and the rest of the macaw children. "Alicia, when we were back at Angel's lair, I was actually one of the birds who was most against leaving town."

"It's true," Pedro butted in. When Nico whirled around to face the cardinal, he saw Pedro nodding his head, eager to validate his friend's words. "He was all like: "No Blu! If you leave, you'll betray Rio! It was actually pretty dramatic when you think about it."

Nico narrowed his eyes at the now laughing cardinal, but decided to ignore him. _Sure, you didn't know how to form words when it mattered, but you'll talk to make fun of me, _he thought bitterly. Shaking off the minor annoyance, Nico resumed what he'd been saying. "Anyway, that's how it went, but then your daddy over there," he took a minute to point over to Blu who at the moment seemed to be deep in conversation with the other adults, "he made me realize that if we got far away from Rio, Angel would never find us. It's only around here that he knows the places we always go to. Heck he could pop up here any second; it's actually better if we dip outta this joint quicker."

Tiago, who tried his best not to act like the idea scared his feathers off, eyed Nico and asked in a slightly trembling voice: "Um, Uncle Nico? Do you think he's really gonna come here?"

Nico gritted his beak, debating for a moment whether or not telling what he really thought would make everything worse. In the end, he decided it better to lie. The last thing the Spix's macaws needed to deal with was crying children. "No, no Tiago," he assured with a smile, "we're safe here. This place is in the middle of really thick trees. I can barely see my own wing in front of my face when I fly through them at night. We'll be alright as long as we stay here before we go."

Turning back to Alicia, however, he continued: "But baby bird, we do need to go. It's just the safest thing for all of us. I know you don't wanna leave your home, neither do I." A very sad look washed over Nico's face as he said that. The thought of leaving the city he loved more than anything made him want to bury his head in sand and never lift it out. "Rio is everything I know, but we'll find a new place to call home. We'll make it our own."

"Yeah," Pedro said, the enthusiasm in his voice catching Nico a little off guard. He couldn't really understand how Pedro could manage to be in a good mood even in a time like this, but if anything this was the one quality of the cardinal that made him such a great friend. Nothing prevented Pedro from enjoying life, and being in the company of a bird like that did wonders for Nico's mental state.

The cardinal winked at his buddy and patted Nico's shoulder with one of his wings. "You know what we're always sayin' Dawg. Samba ain't just found in music or in the city, it's in our hearts. As long as we got our hearts, we'll have that passion and fun no matter where we are. Nothin' stops Pedro's party, am I right guys?"

"Yeah!" Nico and Pedro both looked down to see Alicia, her head tilted back to meet their gazes. They noticed that she held a huge smile on her beak now, the tears long since gone from her eyes. She walked forward a few steps and hugged the two older birds the best she could with her tiny wings. "Thanks Uncle Nico and Uncle Pedro. I feel better now. As long as you guys are coming to our new house, I'll move, I promise."

Nico and Pedro looked at each other, both beaming with pride over having successfully defused the situation. The Spix's macaws would have been so proud of them, had they seen what went down of course. Nico brushed the top of Alicia's head with one of his wings and then took a step back. "No problem baby girl, we live to care for our friends."

"That's just how we roll 'Licia. Ain't nuttin to it," Pedro added, snapping his wingtips as he spoke.

From across the room, the five birds heard a loud sigh and turned to face the group of taller adults, wondering what the problem could be now. The noise looked to have come from Eva, who now bowed her head to face the ground, shaking it as she did so in disbelief. When she faced her friends and husband once again, tears looked ready to spill forth from the usually tough bird's eyes. None of them blamed her. The past day's events made it almost impossible to act as they did on a normal day. "I can't believe them. Poor Kipo, I just can't believe that he's gone. What a bunch of complete animals; it's like they have absolutely no regard for another bird's life."

Blu shook his head, beginning to feel more hopeless by the second every time someone reminded him of just who they planned to escape from. It just seemed like they didn't have a chance against such an evil mastermind. "What's even worse is what that sick falcon plans to do to Jewel. Her heart is one of the things that Angel needs to complete this device which is supposed to give him ultimate power which means he'll stop at nothing until he kills her."

Eva let out a shocked and terrified gasp. She grabbed Jewel with one of her wings and pulled the female macaw closer to her. Over the past two years, Eva and Jewel had bonded at many occasions the group got together for. They'd become very good friends, relating to a lot of common concepts of motherhood. The thought that she might lose one of her best friends made Eva sick to her stomach. She looked into Jewel's eyes, her own filled with rage and determination and promised: "If that falcon wants to hurt you, he's gonna have to go through me first."

Jewel smiled, grateful for all the support that her friends gave her that day. Since Angel's ominous revealing, they'd all rallied around her, trying to make her feel safe and that she'd be okay. For the most part, it worked, but a small part of Jewel's mind kept nagging at her, insisting that this would be the end for her soon. The falcon was too powerful for all of them and for some reason knew everything they planned to do before they did it. They were only kidding themselves that they could run from him.

"Thank you Eva, you have no idea how much I appreciate everything you and Rafael have done for our family over the years. But," she continued, turning to her husband. "We've decided that the best thing for all of us to do is leave Rio, for good. It's not safe for any of us here. Even though I'm in the most danger, doesn't mean you guys are all out of the woods."

"Yes," Rafael chimed in, nodding his head at his wife who now turned to see what he wanted to say. "My dear Eva, Angel knows where we live because of what happened at the anniversary party last year. It would be easy for him to come here and try to hold either us or our chicks hostage so that Jewel would surrender herself to him. He is that insane to try something like that."

Eva looked up to the ceiling and blew out a big breath of air. This was all just so much to process at once. From Jewel's kidnapping, to Kipo's death, to now Jewel being hunted, all the news began to make her head pound with a bad pain. She wanted nothing more than to lie down and go to sleep, forget everything that she'd been told and then wake up the next morning living her life like normal.

But life would never be normal. Not again. At least not in Rio. Bringing her head down to its normal position once more, Eva turned to face her friends and looked from one to the other. "So, what's next? Where are we all going?"

Rafael tapped his wings together, desperate for something to do to distract himself from all the intensity of everything they needed to deal with. "Well, I have family that lives outside of Brasilia. It's quite far from here, probably a few days to a week's worth of flight. If we do go there, we'll probably have to hitch a ride on a couple of buses. The farther the better I think though, and I'm sure that once we tell them our problem we'll be able to stay with them as long as we need."

Jewel nodded her head, on board with this plan. "That actually sounds pretty good Rafael." She turned to Eva and Blu, both still looking unsure as to what they should decide. "I think this is the best option we have right now you two. It'll be better than starting over in a place where we don't know anybody and have no one to protect us or our children. I've heard of Brasilia before; it's a big city so Nico and Pedro won't have to miss the city life. They might even be able to start up a new club there. Face it, this is gonna be our new home."

Eva sighed but eventually, she nodded her head with reluctance. Looking at her husband, she said: "Alright, Rafi. I'll agree to it. If anything, the one thing I'm happy about is, as Jewel pointed out before, we'll have birds that we know there. That'll be a huge help in starting a new life in a city that I've never been in."

Rafael held his wings behind his head, feeling awkward at having to reveal this next fact. It was one he didn't really want to say but knew that if he didn't his other friends would be unprepared when they got there. "The only thing is I've never seen them before. My dad used to tell me that I had an aunt and uncle in Brasilia, but it was too far for either our family or theirs to visit. He never mentioned anything bad about them though. I don't see why they wouldn't want to help us."

Now Jewel looked a little more skeptical. She crossed her wings over her chest and tapped a talon impatiently. "I certainly hope that you at least know where they live Rafael. Otherwise, we're gonna be flying around in a place we're unfamiliar with, lost like idiots."

Rafael nodded his head. "Oh yeah, Jewel. I may never have been there in person, but my dad grew up in Brasilia. He just moved to Rio when he was older while his brother stayed in that city. From what he told me, my uncle never left their old tree. I've heard so many stories over the years I'm sure that I could find it no problem."

Jewel grinned, so ecstatic that they finally seemed to be getting somewhere. With any luck, they would be out of Rio soon and they could leave their troubles behind forever. _We'll all start a new life in a new place, _Jewel thought happily. _Then, Blu and I will finally be able to live the life we should have from the very beginning, a carefree one filled with nothing but love and joy. There will be no evil, insane birds anywhere in sight. _ "Okay," she answered the toucan, nodding her head, "I'm in."

"Hold on a minute," Eva said, leaning in between her husband and the female macaw to get their attention. "I still haven't heard one important thing yet. When exactly are we gonna leave?"

Jewel and Rafael looked at each other for a moment, their beaks clenched together in deep thought. Rafael let out a big sigh. His wings behind his back once more, he said: "Welll, we really don't have that many options, Honey. Honestly, I think the sooner we leave the better. The only reason I'm not gonna say tonight is because it's very late and we have nothing ready; there's no food, any of our possessions, nothing. I think we should all go to sleep in a couple of minutes, spend the next day packing, and then head to the bus station tomorrow night and start on our way there."

"I also assume that you want to leave at night because the chance of Angel being able to see us will be much less," Jewel said while raising an eyebrow at the toucan.

Eva nodded her head. Wings on her hips, she said in agreement: "I like that plan very much, Rafi. Falcons are expert predators, plus they have enhanced eyesight to help them spot the tiny creatures that they feed on. We'll need every advantage we can get against him, so leaving at night sounds perfect." She began to walk away towards the center of the hollow but peered back over her shoulder at Rafael and Jewel. "I'm gonna go tell everyone what we've decided to do. Feel free to hit the nest if you want, you two. I'll start putting the kids to bed once I make them aware of what's going on."

"Okay," Jewel shouted at Eva over the ruckus the seventeen rambunctious toucan chicks continued to make in the tree. She sighed and clapped her wings together, feeling satisfied that they all now had a concrete plan of action. This would all be over before they knew it, and then the only thing they would all have to look forward to would be peace and happiness.

She grinned at the thought of spending endless hours together with the bird she loved more than anyone and anything else in the whole world. "Oh Blu, isn't this exciting? We're going to live in a whole new place and this time no villains of any kind." Jewel began to turn around, starting to feel a little confused when he didn't answer her right away. "You know, you haven't contributed much at all to this conversation. Is everything alright?"

When Jewel faced him, however, Blu didn't look happy in the slightest. Though, she couldn't really tell how he felt because Blu wouldn't look at her. He just kept his eyes trained onto the strips of wood which made up the floor beneath their talons. Unsure what could be bothering him so much when things finally appeared to be looking up for them, Jewel cocked her head at her husband. "Blu," she asked, her voice filled with concern, "what's the matter? You seem really sad."

Blu continued to not make eye contact. He turned away from Jewel and began to walk towards the exit to the tree, his shoulders slumped to the floor. When Blu reached the threshold between the safety of the hollow's interior and the clutches of the darkness of the outside world, Jewel let out a terrified gasp. "Blu?" she shouted, "what are you doing?"

Her cries however, fell on deaf ears. No one else managed to hear Jewel either due to the continual noisy protests from the toucan children regarding their parents' orders to head to bed. Blu just let out a deep sigh as he lifted his head up to look at the starry landscape above. Then, spreading his big, dark blue wings, he took off out of the tree.

Heart beating at a terrifyingly rapid beat, Jewel rushed forward to the edge of the hollow and knelt down over the rim of tree bark. Ignoring the jagged strips of wood which jabbed her feathers uncomfortably as she knelt, Jewel narrowed her eyes to tiny slits, attempting to discern where Blu went. Thankfully, it appeared Blu only flew out of the tree and landed on a nearby log. There he sat, his back to the tree and his head curled up in his knees.

Jewel didn't waste a second. Without even stopping to think about the fact that leaving the hollow could mean certain death for her, Jewel spread her wings and glided the short distance down to where her mate sat. Placing her talons down on the log, Jewel took a seat next to Blu, noticing that he didn't even flinch when she arrived.

Her legs dangling from the edge of the thick piece of wood, Jewel let out a dismayed sigh. She tilted her head up to look at the night sky, the millions of twinkling shiny stars sticking out against the endless black expanse above them. The gorgeous scene brought a sense of peace upon Jewel which calmed her alarming heart rate back to normal. If it had been any other evening, this would have been a wonderful time to just sit outside of her own tree with Blu and their chicks, admiring the beauty of the nature around them.

She turned to her left to look at Blu. He'd since removed his head from his lap, but his chin still hung forward in shame and despair. Jewel shook her head, thought crashing into one another like several cars at a busy intersection. _I just don't get it. Why does he feel so down? We're so close to having everything we've ever wanted. I'll never understand why he gets so pensive like this. _

Becoming tired of being ignored when she sat right next to him, Jewel's stubbornness took over. She slid right next to Blu on the log and took one of his wings in hers. To her slight surprise, he did not resist her touch, which only left Jewel more confused. Did that mean he wasn't angry with her after all? Then what exactly could be wrong? "Blu," she started in a voice that reflected her beginning to lose her patience, "I would have thought you would have learned by now that you can't keep a secret from me. I know you better than anyone, and I know right now you're feeling terrible inside. Please, tell me what's wrong. I can help. You know that's all I want to do."

Blu squeezed his eyes shut and for the first time since she sat, Jewel noticed that the feathers under his eyes had been soaked with tears. When he turned to face her at last, Blu's eyes looked dry and red, typical when one has been crying hard for a time. Jewel's heart swelled with sorrow and a want to comfort the bird she loved so much. She brought his beak to hers and just let it sit there, letting him feel that she was indeed there and would never leave him. "I'm right here," she whispered. "I'll always be with you, Blu."

Jewel could feel Blu's beak leave her and she looked at his shaking head with pleading, tear-filled eyes. Blu stared back at her, his own face looking as if he'd given up on everything, like he'd lost all hope. When he spoke to her, his voice came out in a tiny, tortured whisper. "Jewel, what if that's not true? I've done everything I can to protect you, but it's never enough. And now this, I just don't know if I'll be able to save you and that scares me more than anything."

Jewel let out a sigh, but somehow she found a way to smile. She almost laughed to herself. Of course this was what had been on Blu's mind. She should have known. "Blu, I can more than take care of myself. I know you worry about me, but we're going to handle this. We've already made a plan; we're getting out of town. Everything is gonna be just fine. I'm not going anywhere; Angel isn't going to hurt me."

"But you don't know that!" Blu shouted, catching Jewel off guard. She backed away a bit, her eyes wide at hearing Blu scream so suddenly. He let out a few tense breaths and then his face instantly became covered with regret over yelling like he did. Blu hung his head, ashamed once more. He felt tears beginning to stream down his face all over again, the slimy drops tickling his feathers and making him feel even more restless than he already did.

Jewel bit the lower side of her beak and closed the space between her and Blu again. On any other day, having Blu raise his voice at her would have gotten him in serious trouble but Jewel felt more than forgiving today. She knew the only reason Blu felt soon edge was because he didn't want her to get hurt. Blu began to speak once more, the sobs caught in his throat causing his words to sound choked. "If this plan fails Jewel… i-if you get hurt or w-w-worse, I-I-I'll never f-f-forgive myself. You're everything to me. I can't live without you. Th-th-that's-that's…"

Blu stopped talking when Jewel placed a wingtip on his beak to silence him. She tilted his chin upward so that he looked into his eyes, and then she smirked at him. Jewel then moved the wingtip to the left side of Blu's face, his eyes following her every move. As Jewel caressed his soft feathers, Blu could feel his heart quickening at the feel of her delicate touch. Jewel took in a breath and then let it out in a sweet melody that could have cracked the stone heart of one of the cruelest birds in the world. "That's how much that I love you," she sang.

Jewel tapped her talon on the log she stood on and continued to sing, her lovely voice carrying on the light evening breeze which swept through the clearing of grass. "That's how much that I need you."

She then hopped off the log altogether and pulled Blu down with her. Blu didn't quite know what Jewel planned to do, but just the sound of her beautiful voice began to melt the wall of ice and fear that the villainous falcon caused him to build around himself.

_And I can't stand you._

_Must everything you do, make me wanna smile._

_Can I not like you for a whi-ile?_

Blu couldn't help but laugh at those words. For the first time in as long as he could remember, Blu smiled. He didn't just smile in fact; he grinned. Being alone with Jewel at that moment, underneath the fabulous night sky, the macaw started to remember the bird he'd been back when he and Jewel went on their first date, before any of the craziness began. It'd just been him, her, and the incredible love shared between the two. Blu finally understood what Jewel tried to tell him on the log minutes ago. In the new city, times like those would be all the two would share. The thought of that made Blu feel like himself again. In fact, it woke up the samba within his heart once more, and that made him want to join in on the singing.

Blu moved towards Jewel and wrapped his wings around her feathery body. She giggled with joy over having succeeded in getting Blu to finally abandon his worries in favor of sharing lovely evening with her. Blu opened his beak and began to sing in a soothing voice, his words expressing exactly how he felt about Jewel.

_But you won't let me._

_You upset me girl, and then you kiss my lips._

_All of a sudden I forget… that I was upset._

_Can't remember what you d-id._

Jewel tilted her head back and sang out:

_Well I ha-a-ate it! You know exactly what to do,_

_So that I can't stay mad at you, for too long, that's wrong._

Blu slid backwards on his talons and spun Jewel close to him. She let out a little yelp of surprise, followed by a happy laugh, her heart ready to burst with joy over being able to share this moment with him during the dark time they both endured. Blu took the lead next:

_Girl, I ha-a-ate it! You know exactly how to touch,_

_So that I don't wanna fu-uss and fight no more._

_Said I despise that I adore you._

Then, Jewel sang as Blu held her close, their beaks never leaving the other's. Her voice cut through to Blu's heart, making him forget every thought of Angel, moving, and any fear of his lovebird leaving him.

_And I ha-ate how much I love you boy,_

_I can't stand how much I need you._

_And I ha-ate how much I love you Blu,_

_But I just can't let you go._

_And I hate that I love you so._

Blu gave Jewel a quick kiss, and then with a sly look in his eyes, he took off into the treetops, landing on a nearby branch. Jewel laughed at his antics and followed him up there. The two continued their dance from above, with Blu singing the next line:

_Mmm, you completely know, the power that you have_

_The only one who makes me la-augh._

A Blu dipped Jewel downward in his wings, she sang:

_Sad and it's not fair, _

_How you take advantage of the fact that I,_

_Love you beyond the reason why,_

_And it just ain't ri-ight!_

Blu spun Jewel around, her beauty mesmerizing him as he took a turn in singing the chorus.

_And I ha-ate how much I love you girl._

_I can't sta-and how much I ne-ed you._

_And I ha-ate how much I love you Jewel._

_But I just can't let you go._

_And I hate that I love you so._

Jewel flew off of the branch and hovered in the sky a few feet above the log where she continued to sing, her eyes shining with the endless love she held for Blu within her soul.

_One of these days maybe your magic won't affect me,_

_And your kiss won't make me we-e-eak._

Blu joined her in mid-air. He closed his eyes and sang the next part with all his heart and soul.

_But no one! In this world! _

_Knows me the way you know me,_

_So you'll probably always have a spell on me-e-ee._

_Ooooooh!_

_Mmmmmmm._

_Ye-ye-ye-ye-ye-yeah._

Both Blu and Jewel began to make their way down to the ground, and as they did so, they performed the last part of their little impromptu duet together.

_And I hate that I love you…. SOOO!_

_And I ha-ate how much I love you Jewel,_

_I can't stand how much I ne-eed you._

_And I ha-ate how much I love you Blu,\_

_But I just can't let you go._

_And I hate that I love you so._

Their wings wrapped tightly around each other and their beaks nuzzling together, Blu and Jewel concluded the song.

_And I hate that I love you… so-o… so-o-o-o-o-o._

Blu and Jewel looked into each others' eyes, massive smiles on each other's beak. Their hearts ready to burst with the incalculable amount of love they shared for each other, their beaks met hungrily in a long, passionate kiss. Jewel squeezed Blu even tighter in her grasp, refusing to let him go. Blu didn't even mind the fact that he was suffocating in Jewel's embrace. There wasn't a single place on the planet he would rather be at that moment. He just wanted to be with Jewel. Nothing else would do.

When they finally pulled apart after what seemed like forever, Blu brushed a stray feather away from Jewel's eye and looked so intensely at her, Jewel felt a blush beginning to creep up on her light blue feathers. "Thank you," he said. "Thank you for bringing me to life."

Jewel brought his beak to hers and nuzzled it once more, her eyes closed so she could focus on nothing more than the feel of his presence. "Thank you for never giving up on me, even when I didn't give you a chance at first. I love you Blu."

"I love you too Jewel," he whispered.

Then, their beaks met once more in what should have been another long, drawn-out, head-over-heels in love kiss. However, the moment shared between the two was interrupted by the sound of applause coming from the hollow above. Blu and Jewel broke apart from each other immediately, their hearts pounding after having been scared by the sudden noise. When they looked up, they glared at the sight of Pedro clapping his wings together, an impressed grin on his beak. "Damn, I wouldn't have pegged you for a singer, Blu. I always thought you were just one of them quiet types."

"Yeah," Nico, sitting right next to Pedro with Rafael as well, echoed Pedro's awe towards what they'd witnessed the two doing. "I've always considered you to be more a mumbler-shuffler, you catch my drift?"

Rafael burst out laughing and wrapped a wing around Nico's shoulder. Winking at the two Spix's macaws below, he waved at them with a huge smile on his face. "Hi-ya lovebirds!" he called to them. "I see that you guys are having a sweet, romantic time down there, but you two should really come back inside and pick your nest before they're all taken. Otherwise, you both will have to sleep on the sharp, scratchy floor. Nobody wants that."

Blu rolled his eyes at the toucan and groaned. He turned to Jewel and raised an eyebrow at her, wanting to get her opinion on the matter. "Well, what do you think? Should we head on up, or would you not mind sleeping on the floor as long as you're with me?" he finished with a sly grin on his face.

Jewel chuckled and poked him in the chest teasingly with a wingtip. "I may be able to find happiness in doing most things when I'm with you Blu, but one thing that I cannot tolerate is having rough wood stabbing me in the back and keeping me from getting any sleep." She spread her wings and hopped off the ground, turning back only once to motion with her head for Blu to follow her. "So, get your tailfeathers up here!" she shouted with a smile.

Blu laughed and saluted his wife in response. An unbelievably wide grin on his beak, Blu shook out his wings and prepared to follow her. "Be right up," he announced. Then, only a few seconds later, both birds re-entered Rafael's home, the time they'd spent together allowing them to forget all that awaited them tomorrow. At least for the time being.


	17. Important Announcement

**Important Announcement:**

Hello everyone, I know that the Rio community frowns upon violating this rule of using chapters for author's notes, but I feel like this is the easiest way to get this message out to all my readers.

I have been writing stories for the past six months, and I really enjoyed doing that for a while. However, over the last two months, writing has become increasingly less fun for me. I have lost all motivation to put out new chapters, and I knew that sooner or later the quality of my work was going to suffer drastically. Also, I have been struggling to manage my time with school. The need to update regularly has been placing a lot of stress upon me, so I think it's in my best interest that I take a break.

I can't guarantee that I will ever come back to fanfiction and for anyone who has followed me since I began, I apologize for leaving like this. I never wanted to be this kind of author, but I think that I've written too much in a short span of time. I never stopped to take breaks in between arcs, always jumping into the next one immediatley after finishing the previous one. I really need a period to just relax.

I will still continue to be on fanfiction to review people's stories. This is what I did originally before I began to write. I miss being able to do just that without the stress of having to update with everything else I have going on. Fanfiction has been one of the best things that has ever happened to me. I discovered it when I was really over-stressed and depressed. Reading Rio stories helped me get out of that funk, and because i reviewed, I've made friendships that have lasted for years. But now, fanfiction is no longer fun and I just want it to go back to how it was before I started to write.

Again, I am very sorry that for anyone who was expecting another chapter, this is what you got instead. But I really need to do this for me. I hope you can all understand. In a way, it didn't end on the worst note. If I never do come back to fanficiton, at least you can all walk away with the thought that Blu, Jewel, and everyone else escaped to Brasilia. They started a new life there and were happy for a long time. Angel scoured the entirety of Rio, but never found them. Eventually, he grew old and died, having failed to accomplish his evil plans.

I wanted a more elaborate ending, but this may be all you are left with, should I never decide to come back. Other authors have taken hiatuses like this. Some come back, some don't. What the future holds for me, I cannot say. But I would like to thank everyone who saw me through on this journey. Thank you for choosing my stories to read out of all the other Rio tales on fanfiction.

I want to extend special thanks to everyone who has reviewed my chapters, but especially to:

**Monsterjamvadim** (shout out to Oliver and Company. It's a great movie and doesn't get enough attention)

**Rio2lover100**

And last but not least I want to extend extra-special thanks to:

**Loco Vampire** for creating the artwork for "Girl Next Door From Hell" and "The Fallen Angel"

**Ricardo The Black Hawk** for reviewing my first story, and being one of the best friends I could ever have throughout this whole process. You were an author I looked up to immensely. I really wanted to impress you with my work, and I hope that in what I have done thus far I have succeeded in doing that. However, even if this wasn't the case, it just makes me happy to know that we became good friends. If it wasn't for him, I would have deleted my account entirely. But he helped me see this wasn't the right way to go. Thank you Rico for helping me see that and for everything.

**Kraft58. **Not only for reviewing my chapters, but for beta reading them when I first began posting chapters. Thank you for being my main inspiration to begin writing. I'm sorry that I couldn't stick it out until the end. I feel like I've disappointed you most of all. And even though you already said I didn't, I just want to say that I'm sorry again. I loved your stories and it made me feel so good to know that I impressed you with my work. Most of all, thank you for being an amazing friend throughout the whole process. Thank you David so much for everything :)

So this is it. Again I am sorry. But I need to do this for myself. Someday I may return. We'll just have to see.

But this is RioloverBardenBellaforlife signing off :(


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